Sunburn
by xeat.ur.soulx
Summary: Jacob is determined to win Bella back, no matter who gets hurt. What happens when he imprints on her sister, who is in love with someone else? In this rewrite of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, follow Nori Swan as she encounters rogue murderers, an unwanted imprint, a broken heart, and a sister who is determined to turn herself into a vampire. Warning: strong language/violence.
1. Part I: Smother

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* * *

 **Part I: Smother**

 **To Coincide with New Moon  
**

* * *

 _I'm wasted, losing time_

 _I'm a foolish, fragile spine  
I want all that is not mine  
I want him but we're not right_

 _In the darkness I will meet my creators_  
 _And they will all agree that I'm a suffocator_

 _I should go now quietly_  
 _For my bones have found a place to lie down and sleep_  
 _Where all my layers can become reeds_  
 _All my limbs can become trees_  
 _All my children can become me_  
 _What a mess I leave_  
 _To follow_

 _In the darkness I will meet my creators_  
 _And they will all agree that I'm a suffocator_

 _Oh, no_  
 _I'm sorry if I smothered you_

 _I sometimes wish I'd stayed inside my mother_  
 _Never to come out_

 _._

\- Daughter


	2. I: One

I had never been close to Jacob Black. And to be honest, if it weren't for the fact that our fathers were the best of friends and Jacob's pathetic crush on my sister, we probably would have never even been acquaintances.

Don't get me wrong - Jacob was the nicest guy I had ever met. He was funny and sweet and a complete gentleman when he wasn't cracking crude jokes around his friends. We'd see each other practically every day because of our fathers or our mutual best friends.

Yet, for some reason, we never quite formed that friendship bond.

I'd like to think that maybe it was because of his weird fascination with my older sister. When she visited as a kid, he would follow her around all summer like a lost puppy, pining after her while the rest of his friends complained that girls had cooties and went to Jupiter to "get more stupider." Meanwhile, I was hanging out with the boys because I was the only girl in the third grade who could put a worm on a fishing hook without crying.

Or maybe it was because when Bella decided to stop coming and someone had to tell Jacob, the duty was passed on to me - and let's just say that Jacob blamed me for Bella's decision. He flipped out, stormed away, and things were never quite the same.

Nevertheless, I kept seeing him when he and Billy came over to watch a game on the television with Dad, or when we all went fishing in Harry Clearwater's boat. We still kept up the small talk and cracked a few jokes here and there, like the civil humans that we were. But I could always see that the smile on Jacob's face was a little dimmer, and whenever Bella's name was mentioned, he would immediately excuse himself from the conversation or zone out completely. I felt bad for the kid, but there was nothing I could do to bring my sister back. Even I wasn't that close to her.

I would often think of Jacob and Bella's story as a cute love story, where he loved her from the start and she saw him as a little brother until one day - perhaps in the future if she were to ever come back to Washington - one day, she would truly notice him. She would look into his eyes and see the years of love there and finally realize that he was the one for her. They would get married and I would be the maid of honor, because let's be honest - Bella was never one to make any friends worth keeping. They'd settle down in Forks or on the reservation and have a bunch of little tiny Jacobs and Bellas and I would be that awesome aunt who would visit every now and then between European travels just to bring expensive gifts that would cause the children to hug me and squeal with delight, while Jacob and Bella protested and said that I really didn't need to do all of that.

And someday, I would be able to sit down with their children and tell them the story of how their parents met, much like Ted did in _How I Met Your Mother._ The catch is, my version wouldn't take such a long time.

I could see it all perfectly. Life would fall into place as it should, and everyone would receive their happily ever after.

But life has a funny way of screwing people over, and that's just what it did when Bella came back.


	3. I: Two

When Bella came back to Washington, I was across the country. After years of prepping myself and focusing on this one goal, I had received my acceptance letter to the North Carolina School of the Arts and nothing was going to stop be from going. Mom had a sister who lived in North Carolina a few hours from the school, so that helped my parents to feel more at ease over their fifteen-year-old daughter moving to a new state to attend a new school on her own. For once in my life, my parents were actually proud of my accomplishments and I was getting out of that godforsaken rainy state.

But all good things must come to an end, as they say.

It was January when I got the phone call from Dad. Bella had survived her junior year with only one serious incident - something involving her falling down stairs like the clumsy girl she was; however, senior year wasn't so good. Apparently, her boyfriend had skipped town after leaving her in the woods. Who the hell does that? I may not be extremely close to my sister, but I was still livid when Dad told me the details that he knew. I was fully prepared to take a week off and come visit, find the bastard and give him a peace of my mind.

But Dad had other plans, and when I found myself on a plane back to Washington with everything from my dorm room packed away and on board, I wasn't sure if I should cry in self pity or anger. I couldn't believe that Bella's misfortunes would lead to this. I had worked so hard for this opportunity, and it was all wasted.

I had to give everything up for my sister, who had turned into a zombie over some jerk who wasn't even worth her time in the first place. I was so angry I could scream.

I had a full rant prepared for Dad when I got off the plane. I was going to let him have it so he would understand how hurt I was that he had decided to just cut off my tuition and bring me home, all because my sister couldn't grow up and get over her relationship problems. My argument was an even mixture of strong words and curses.

But the solemn expression, obvious eye bags and frown lines, and the sudden abundance of gray hairs Dad had when he met me by the terminal caused me to keep my mouth tightly shut and just follow him silently to the car. He had obviously gone through a lot of stress and pain already, and I didn't need to add to it. Leave it to Bella to get involved in drama in less than a year back home.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"The boys have been asking about ya. I told 'em to hold off for a few days, let you get settled, but they wouldn't listen," Dad said with a chuckle as he tossed my bags into the back of the police cruiser. After growing up riding around in this thing, I truly never wanted to ride in the backseat for the wrong reasons. I guess that was a perk of having a police chief dad.

I hopped into the front seat, focusing on deep breaths so I wouldn't snap and upset my father any more than Bella and all of the crazy mess had in my absence. I opened my copy of _The Things They Carried_ and began reading in an attempt to distract myself as Dad started the car and began driving out of Port Angeles.

"Anyway, you know how Embry, Quil, and Seth can be. Hardheaded bastards… They wanted to have a damn bonfire at the house, but I put a stop to that real quick. Told them that if they wanted to start a forest fire, go do it on the rez and out of my jurisdiction."

I hummed in response as I turned a page. My dad was always a quiet soul around people, except for those he was very comfortable and close to - which was basically Billy, Harry, their families, my best friend Embry, and me.

"Aw, c'mon Nor. You can't ignore me forever."

Silence.

I rolled my eyes and bit my lip. I was still boiling with fury over all of my hard work being put to waste and losing everything I had strived for, but it was bothering me more that I was holding this against my dad. I knew that he was only doing this because he was so worried about Bella.

God, why did Bella have to inherit Mom's emotional, overdramatic tendencies?

"Nori-"

I interrupted him before he could say anything else that would make me feel worse about the way I had treated him since getting off of the plane.

"So, since there isn't a bonfire, could we still watch the game tonight with the guys?"

Dad grinned, agreeing immediately, and began telling a funny story about the last game he had watched with Billy and Harry, and I couldn't help but crack a small smile at him and stare out the window. Whether I wanted to or not, I was going to make the best of this situation. I never wanted to see the look of stress and pain on my father's face again for the rest of my life.

Maybe coming back here wouldn't be so bad after all.


	4. I: Three

**I hate author's notes, but I feel that this is necessary.**

 **First of all, I'd like to welcome everyone to this story. I love my readers, and reviews give me motivation to work on this story (just fyi) lol.**

 **Second of all, as much as I will try to stay on the original New Moon/Eclipse timeline, there will be a few variations - especially as my new character becomes more involved in the story. Don't flip out if I forget a detail here and there, though. I'm a busy college student who only writes in any free time I'm given. I DO have the first part of Sunburn completed though! So I will be updating every few days!**

 **And finally, I do not own anything except the OCs - which, at this point, is only Nori Swan. The main story line and characters belong to Stephenie Meyer herself.**

 **Now that's out of the way, please enjoy this chapter. And review, review, review! :D**

* * *

"Bells! We're home!"

I dragged my rolling suitcase behind me and carried a duffle bag on one shoulder as I followed Dad into the house. He was carrying the rest of my bags as he led me through the kitchen and up the stairs to the room that I had called mine for the past sixteen years. It was right across the hall from the small purple room that had belonged to my sister every summer as kids.

Her door was closed, and as we passed by, Dad glanced at it with a faraway look in his eyes.

We dumped the bags onto my bed and floor and Dad wrapped an arm around my shoulders in a gentle side hug as we both looked around at the pastel green walls covered in posters and photographs, the full-sized bed that had been stripped of my sheets and covers, the old spinet piano that had been left untouched and was probably covered in dust, the dresser with its drawers each partially open and bare, and the closet doors left wide open to reveal a few sundresses hanging that my mother had bought me years ago and I had never worn.

My room looked so _empty_ without me living in it.

"Well, kid, I'm glad you're back. This place just isn't the same without you," Dad said as he dropped his arm from around me. It was silent for a moment, and I guess he could sense that my return was still a sore subject because he cleared his throat and spoke again. "I'll call the guys and order a pizza." And with that he headed for the door.

He grasped onto the doorjamb just before leaving and turned to look at me. "Oh, and Nori? Maybe you could, uh, talk to your sister…?"

I saluted mockingly with a, "Sir, yes, sir." He chuckled at my weirdness and disappeared around the corner, leaving me alone to unpack and accept the fact that I was back to stay for the next two years.

I put all of my clothes away in an hour, and since Bella had yet to emerge, I decided that now was the time to talk to her or whatever. I wasn't really sure what Dad expected from me - it wasn't like I could magically fix my sister. This was something that was really up to her.

I threw the empty suitcases onto the top shelf in my closet and crossed the hallway. My hand raised to knock on the chipped white paint, but I froze. What do I even say? I hadn't spoken to my sister in well over a year, and even before then we had only exchanged a few emails here and there. Dad and I visited her in California on vacation three years ago. Other than that, we had barely even noticed the other's existence.

Why was this so hard? Most people had great relationships with their siblings.

I sucked in a deep breath and licked my lips, preparing myself for anything. Dad had said that Bella was pretty bad off emotionally, and I knew what depression could do to a person. I hoped that she'd be willing to let me in and help her as much as I could.

I knocked.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

I had expected for Bella to look like shit. Or at least look depressed.

Her face was expressionless, as always, but the life in her eyes when she opened her door threw me by surprise. I almost questioned whether this whole boyfriend breakup thing was a ruse to just get me back to Washington.

"Oh, Nori, I didn't know you were coming back." She grasped onto the doorjamb, much like Dad had earlier. It was almost comical, and I would have pointed out the similarities to her as a joke if I weren't tongue-tied in confusion.

"Dad told me everything."

Bella blinked. "Everything?"

"Yeah, I know about the douchebag and everything in between."

Bella flinched at the term _douchebag_ and I had to remind myself that she wasn't much for hugs or affection, so I shoved my hands into the pocket of my sweatshirt.

"Oh," she murmured.

I nodded just as her phone went off. She muttered an, "Excuse me," before turning and leaving me standing in the doorway. She flipped open the phone just as the ringer quit, but the smile that crossed her face caused me to question who would have been on the other end of that line.

"That wouldn't be douchebag, would it?" I asked as I walked into her room, eyeing her carefully. She may be hurting, but I definitely didn't want her going back to that guy after the way he treated her. It was better for her to hurt now and get it over with so she could move on and find someone better.

Bella's eyes snapped up to mine as she frowned and shook her head. "N-No, why would you think-"

"You were smiling," I interrupted softly. "I just assumed." I began playing around with a rubber band that was on top of the dresser by her door as I looked around her room. It was exactly the way she had left it years ago, with the exception of a few things that she had brought with her or that Dad had provided when she moved in.

"So, who was it?" I asked nonchalantly as I aimed the rubber band at a picture frame across the room.

"Jacob."

I released the rubber band in shock and didn't bother to see where it went - I didn't even remember what my target was now.

"Jacob Black? You're with Jacob Black?"

Bella stared at me wide-eyed as her cheeks flushed immediately. "W-What?! No, no, no, we aren't - I'm not _with_ him. We're friends."

I briefly wondered if Jacob knew that. I could still hear him in my head, talking about how much he loved Bella as kids. I knew he would never see her as only a friend.

But as I took in my sister's blushed face and the life in her eyes, I knew something had changed.

"So, have you guys hung out since…you know," I asked, motioning with my hands to refer to the breakup.

Bella sat on the edge of her bed and laid the phone on the nightstand. "Yeah, we hung out the other day. He's going to fix up these old bikes I found."

"Bikes, like the kind we rode around on as kids or are you talking about motorcycles?"

Bella bit her lip to hide her smile. "The latter."

I grinned mischievously. "Oh, you know you have to let me try one out when they're done."

Bella laughed softly and nodded. "Sure, sure. You can be there to witness me fall on my face, too."

We both giggled before silence fell over us once again. I noticed a book lying on her bookshelf, and crossed the room to snatch it up, feeling her eyes on me the whole time. I read the front cover and snorted. "Wuthering Heights?"

Bella frowned. "Do you have a problem with Emily Bronte?"

I shook my head quickly. "No! Of course not. I'm just surprised because this is one of my favorite novels."

Bella smiled just as Dad called up the stairs, alerting us that the pizza had arrived.

"Dad said Billy and Harry are coming to watch the game," I told her as she followed me from her room.

"Oh, maybe Jacob will be with them." I could hear the hopeful undertone in her voice, and couldn't help but smirk back at her. She blushed at the look on my face and I knew that she was forming a little crush on the poor guy who had pined after her for forever.

It was about damn time.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The living room was full of people when Bella and I came down the stairs. Dad had taken refuge in his signature game-watching chair on the far side of the room, and not only had Harry and Billy shown up and taken up the smaller couch, but they had also brought their sons. I recognized the two people sitting on the larger couch immediately - Embry Call and Quil Ateara had been Jacob's best friends growing up, and I had become almost as close with them after years of spending time on the reservation at Billy or Harry's homes. They were my age and vastly different; Embry was rather quiet and kind while Quil was more crude and sarcastic. They represented the two sides to my personality perfectly.

Being such good friends with them also added to the question of why I wasn't so close to Jacob.

Seth Clearwater sat on the floor by his dad's feet, and I was surprised at how much he had grown in the year since I had last seen him. Seth had always been like that little brother I never had. His own sister was always too distracted by her relationship with Sam Uley and her own problems to ever worry about her brother, so I kind of took that place. Plus, I was pretty sure that I spent more time with Seth and Harry than Leah did.

No one had noticed our entrance until Jacob walked into the room from the kitchen, holding a can of Pepsi. He grinned wildly as he rushed over to where Bella and I were standing, but instead of acknowledging me at all, he spoke directly to Bella and engaged in a conversation with her.

Yet another reason why I wasn't best buds with Jacob.

"Nori! When did you get here?"

The rest of the guys switched their attention over to me at Harry's outburst. I grinned at my dysfunctional second family and waved as I walked away from Bella and Jacob's whispering and met Seth, who had jumped up from his spot and rushed over to hug me tightly.

"Why didn't you tell us you were coming today?" he asked as he leaned back and allowed me to plop down onto the couch between Quil and Embry. Seth took a seat on the floor by my feet, and I began braiding his long hair out of habit.

"Oh, I got bored in North Carolina, so I teleported in a week early," I said nonchalantly. Quil poked my side, causing me to jump as it tickled and stick my tongue out at him.

"Yeah, right. You just won't admit that you missed us too much," he said, poking me again.

"Keep lying to yourself," I quipped. He poked me again, causing me to squeal lightly as it tickled once more. "Dammit, Quil. Poke me again and I'll castrate you." Seth snickered by my feet as Embry coughed to cover his chuckle.

"Nori, language," Dad warned, though I could tell by the way that he was trying not to smile that he wasn't being too serious. Everyone laughed.

"Yeah, Nori. Geeze, boarding school has corrupted our sweet little Lenora." Quil poked me with a grin, and I slapped his arm while laughing.

Billy asked me about North Carolina and the school I had attended as the commercials continued, but once the game came back on, we all were sucked into cheering and rooting for our teams. I didn't mind the cursing and the beer that the adults were practically inhaling. I didn't mind being jostled around by my friends who would jump up and down and jerk with every movement of the players on screen. I didn't mind the yelling and boisterous activity.

This was home to me, and I didn't realize how much I had missed it until now.

"Are you okay?" Embry whispered in my ear when I had gotten quiet and zoned out. I nodded quickly, blinking back tears as I wrapped my arms around his lanky arm and hugged it. He had been my closest friend growing up and he had been the only person to ever understand me underneath the surface. I may be bubbly and happy on the outside, but there were a multitude of a secrets behind this exterior. Embry knew every single one of them. And he could always tell when I was upset, it seemed.

"Are you sure, Nor?"

I nodded again as Embry removed his arm from my embrace to wrap it around my shoulders and bring me into his side, just as the rest of the men yelled at a player who fumbled the ball.

"I just realized how glad I am to be back, is all."

Embry smiled down at me, and I noticed his eyes glance back and forth between mine, as if to read my emotions and be sure that I wasn't lying. I really wasn't.

He squeezed my shoulders and leaned down slightly, just so he could whisper, "I'm glad that you're back, too."


	5. I: Four

Bella and Jacob were practically attached at the hip. Jacob seemed to be doing a great job at fixing Bella, because she was constantly in a brighter mood after hanging out with him. My presence in Washington seemed to be pointless.

I woke up early and took the time to check my email and respond to my mother before getting dressed for the day. The boys had invited me to come down to the rez for the day and hang out. It had been a year since I had last seen them or spent time on the reservation, so I agreed as soon as the question was asked.

Of course, Jacob immediately invited Bella to join us. I didn't mind - it meant that Dad would definitely let me go, since I would be spending time with Bella and "helping" her. I still didn't understand what Dad expected from me in that department.

I dressed warmly in denim skinny jeans and a thick cream-colored sweater, being sure to pull a black beanie over my shoulder-length hair and put two pairs of socks on before pulling combat boots over my feet and cuffing the ends of my jeans over them. It was halfway through January and the sky was already releasing a light flurry of snow, but we were expected to have enough to cover the ground before the end of the week. I was thankful that I didn't have to go out into that mess to school like Bella did. Dad had agreed to let me finish out the year through online homeschooling, because I had been cooperative about coming back and going back to Forks was really the only thing I had pitched a fit over. After an incident a few years ago, I forever hated certain people at Forks High School with a passion.

A car horn honked, so I grabbed my phone from the bedside table and hurried down the stairs. My black overcoat was hanging on the rack by the door and I shrugged it on before braving the cold weather to reach Bella's old truck.

Classical music filled the cab and I grimaced. I had to listen to far too much classical music when I was at the school of the arts, and while I enjoyed learning new pieces and playing the piano in my downtime, I was far too tired to stay awake to this.

"As much as I love Debussy, I have to ask you to change the disc. It's too early for this," I complained. Bella sighed and ejected the disc from her CD-rom - something that had obviously been added to the truck recently.

"Who put the new radio and CD set in here?" I asked as Bella handed me the case of CDs she kept in her truck so that I could change the music.

She smiled as she said, "Jacob did." I should've known.

"Ah, makes sense," I muttered as I sifted through the discs in my lap. That boy would do anything for my sister. He'd lasso the freaking moon if she asked him to and she was just now figuring this out, it seemed.

A disc near the top was adorned by a giant _J_ scrawled in sharpie at the top, while a list of artists were on the bottom half of the disc. I could feel my smile growing as I read the names.

"Holy cow, either your music taste changed or you have finally made friends that I can be proud of," I joked as I put the CD into the player and Oasis began blasting through the speakers. I tapped along to the beat against my thighs.

Bella shrugged as she turned onto the main road towards La Push. "Jacob made this CD for when he rides with me. He hates my music."

I laughed. "If Jacob keeps being awesome like that, we might actually become friends."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

We walked into Quil's small house just as someone yelled, " _Dammit, Quil!"_ I smirked, because that seemed to be the most familiar phrase amongst my friends. It was almost comforting to hear.

Quil lived with his grandparents behind the only store in La Push, which coincidentally happened to be owned by said grandfather. Quil worked there when he wasn't in school. I used to spend time helping him stock shelves with Embry or listening to them complain over Jacob and his obsession with my sister before I left.

Bella followed closely behind me as I left my coat by the door and led the way down a narrow hallway to Quil's bedroom, where his prized possession lived - a large flatscreen TV that he had saved up for forever, and his Nintendo 64. Quil and Seth were battling each other while lounging on the floor against the side of his bed, while Embry lay across the bed and stuffed his face with chips. Jacob was nowhere to be seen.

I joined Embry on the bed, stealing some chips from the bag amidst his protests while Bella stood awkwardly in the doorway. She seemed to not know what to do with herself now that Jacob wasn't in the room with his friends.

"Bells, you can sit down," I said, hoping to make her feel more at ease if I extended the invitation.

She shook her head and bit her lip. "No, I'm fine, thanks."

I nodded and stole some more chips just as Seth killed Quil's character on the screen. "Vic-tor-REEEE!" Seth exclaimed as he raised his arms and hooped and hollered while Quil whined about how he cheated. Embry and I laughed at their antics.

Bella still stood in the doorway.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit?" I asked her again, feeling weird for her just standing there.

She looked down at the cell phone in her hands and shook her head once again. "I think I'll call Jacob and see where he is. I'll be right back." She took off around the corner, leaving me to roll my eyes and stuff one of Quil's pillows behind me to lean on.

"She's almost as obsessed with him as he is with her," Embry muttered, leaning down close enough so his salt and vinegar breath washed over me. I giggled, partly because of my nerves at his closeness and partly because of his words. I had had a crush on Embry since sixth grade when a boy on the rez had made a harsh comment about me being a pale face and not welcome there - Embry had immediately stood up for me, even though the mean boy was at least three years older, and ended up shoving the boy down into a puddle of mud, which caused everyone around us to burst into laughter at the boy. He had to walk home with brown gunk all over his ass. It was hilarious and ever since, I had seen the lanky Quileute boy named Embry Call in a different light. Not only was he my confidant and best friend, but he was my attractive secret love.

I just wished he liked me in that sense, too.

I cleared my throat as I realized that I had been staring for just a moment too long. "Well if it means they're happy, then leave them be."

We watched Seth destroy Quil over and over in the game like proud parents before Bella appeared in the doorway again. She was smiling, and I knew it had to do with Jacob.

"Jake is at his house working on the bikes, so I'm gonna head over there. Can you just call me when you're ready to go, Nori?" she asked hopefully.

I shrugged, knowing that she'd be happier with him and we'd be happier with her not creeping in the doorway. "Sure, whatever. Have fun with your boo thang."

The guys chuckled and made animalistic noises to be obnoxious as Bella blushed furiously and quickly left. I poked Quil in the back of the head with the toe of my shoe.

"Geeze, Quil. Way to scare my sister off, ya jerk," I joked.

Quil turned to stick his tongue out at me before he spun back around to dodge a kick from Seth's character. "You know you're the only girl we want to hang out with, Nori-Nor."

I laughed at the use of my old nickname just as Seth killed Quil for the millionth time. Quil began yelling profanities as they argued over who cheated. Embry shoved my shoulder with his.

"Aren't they just adorable when they bicker?" he mused.

I giggled. "Not as cute as we are when we laugh at their expense." I shoved Embry's shoulder with mine. Even through his long-sleeved t-shirt and the thick material of my sweater, I could feel the heat radiating from him. It was unusual, to say the least.

"Are you feeling okay, Em?" I asked softly as I touched his burning shoulder through his shirt.

Embry stared at me for a minute before shrugging. "I've been kind of sluggish for the past few days. And I have this fever that just won't go away, but I mean I feel fine right now even though I'm constantly hungry." He looked to me, as if waiting for me to diagnose him.

I gave him a reassuring smile. "It's probably just a cold. With Mother Nature being evil and sending this snow, it's no wonder. Maybe you should take a nap or something since they'll probably play this game all day."

"I don't know…"

I patted my lap. "C'mon, Em. I'll wake you up in a little while."

As soon as Embry's head hit my thighs, he was out like a light. And while he looked completely peaceful in his slumber, I couldn't help but run my fingers through his long hair and worry that something wasn't right here. Something about his illness just seemed off, and a nagging feeling in my gut told me that things were about to change drastically.

I brushed it off and watched my two best friends kill each other in Super Smash Bros.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"I went to his house today."

We were driving back to Forks after spending the day in La Push. Bella had been in a good mood when she picked me up from Quil's, but as she spoke now, I could hear the pain lacing her voice. She was frowning when I glanced at her.

"Jacob's?"

She shook her head and gripped the steering wheel tighter. "No, no. I mean, I went to _his_ house today."

It suddenly clicked. She was talking about the douchebag. I wanted to yell at her for even considering going anywhere near him or his family or their house, simply because it would bring back pain that she didn't need to deal with. But I bit back my harsh words and anger and took a deep breath.

"Did you see him?" I asked carefully, keeping my eyes focused on the road, even though I wasn't driving.

"No."

"Did you _want_ to see him?"

Pause.

"I - I don't know." I heard her suck in a deep breath. "Kind of."

I knew it.

" _Dammit,_ Bella! I know you loved this guy, but you have got to _let him go!_ " I exclaimed loudly, causing her to jump and me to feel momentarily bad for my outburst. But it needed to be said. "He is an ass for leaving you like he did, but at least it was a clean break. You can get over him if you _try._ Hell, even if that means practically living at Jake's house, then just do it! Because the faster you get over that jerk, the happier everyone, including _you_ , will be. You've just gotta work on _forgetting._ "

Bella stayed silent until we pulled into the drive and she shut the engine off. She sat there for a moment, and I didn't dare move. I couldn't tell if I had pushed her too far or not.

I thought she had suffered from a stroke or fell asleep when she finally ran her hands over the steering wheel and spoke in a soft whisper as she sniffed back tears.

"I wish it was that easy, Nori."


	6. I: Five

The sound of Bella's happy squealing filled the house as I walked down the stairs after sleeping in late. She was dancing around the kitchen, putting the cleaning supplies that she had used all morning away, a huge smile adorning her face.

"What's up, buttercup?" I asked, eyeing her weird behavior.

She spun around to face me full on, her smile growing wider. "Jake called."

I snorted. "And…?"

"The bikes are done. We're going to try them out today. Do you still want to join?"

The thought of driving something as dangerous as a motorcycle caused my heart to race a little, and I briefly considered making up some white lie about homework or emailing Mom, but I couldn't miss out on this.

I smirked as I grabbed my jacket from the rack by the door. "Hell to the yes."

"Nori, we're gonna have to wash that mouth of yours out with soap one of these days," Dad said as he passed by me in the doorway.

I sent him a cheeky grin and drew a halo around the top of my head with my finger. Dad chuckled.

Bella pulled her coat on and joined me in the doorway as Dad hung his own jacket up. "We're headed to see Jake."

Dad nodded, a pleased expression crossing his face at the sound of Jake's name. Dad really enjoyed seeing Bella so lightly joyed nowadays - I could only imagine how bad she was before I returned. "I'll be at the station later. Probably won't be back 'til seven."

Bella didn't respond, instead heading out the door towards her truck. I hugged my father and murmured a quick, "Bye, Dad," before I followed after her.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Jacob was waiting on his porch when we pulled up. As soon as Bella parked the truck, he ran across the yard to meet us, quickly pulling my sister into a hug and excitedly yammering on about whatever he had done to the bikes.

He didn't even notice my presence, as usual.

"I brought Nori along to try them out, too. I hope you don't mind. She was just as excited as I was, though," Bella said as Jacob led us over the a spruce tree behind the shed. The two bikes - one red and one black - were situated underneath, hidden from the house expertly. A little blue ribbon adorned the handlebars on each of them.

Jacob glanced over at me and offered a friendly smile, though it wasn't nearly as bright as the smile he always reserved for Bella. "Sounds great! So, are you guys ready?"

I nodded eagerly, the adrenaline beginning to pump through my veins as I envisioned myself flying down the road on one of these, possibly risking my life and limb. Bella, however, bit her lip and nodded as she eyed the bikes with fear. She wasn't as excited as she had been on the way over here. I could tell that her fears were starting to get to her.

I nudged her shoulder as Jacob turned to grab one of the bikes. "Breathe," I whispered encouragingly before stepping forward and helping Jacob out by taking the other bike and pushing it out to the truck. Jacob had already laid his bike down on its side in the bed, and when I appeared beside him with the second bike, he quickly murmured a, "Thanks," and lifted it up to lay beside the first.

"Let's go!" Jacob said, his voice higher with the excitement coursing through him as he hurried around to the passenger side. I followed him as Bella climbed into the drivers seat. "I know this great spot near the cliffs where we can really test these babies out. Nobody will catch us there."

I squeezed into the truck next to Jacob and stared out the window as Jacob and Bella kept up a conversation. I felt like an awkward third wheel. Why did I agree to come? I should've known that Bella would spend her time focusing on her boy toy - and we all knew that Jacob would never have the time of day for anyone else, especially now that Bella was actually returning his attention.

We reached the road that led up towards the cliffs shortly, and as Bella winded around the curves in the tank of a truck, I looked out over the water. It was rather peaceful today, which was unusual - the water was normally choppy and dangerous around the cliffs.

The clouds covered the sky, as usual, but it wasn't raining or snowing for once. The cold air was bearable without the iciness of precipitation. As my eyes fell from the sky towards the water once again, I noticed what looked like four figures standing by the edge of the tallest cliff. I squinted my eyes, trying to determine if they were people or simply trees that had randomly grown in that particular spot. I stared them down, waiting to see if they moved, and just as I was about to turn my head away...

…one of them jumped.

"Holy balls!"

Bella slammed on the brakes at my outburst while Jacob burst into laughter at the phrase I had used. I was too in shock to even contemplate laughing over the random words that had left my mouth. I was also too busy searching the water for the person who had jumped. How could they survive such a far fall? Were they some sort of suicidal clan?

"What? What happened?" Bella shouted out in alarm as Jacob coughed to cover up his remaining laughter.

My mouth opened and closed like a fish as the figure walked out of the surf without an issue. It was as if he had simply walked into the ocean to take a dip instead of diving off of the side of a freaking mountain. Was he some sort of superhuman? What the hell?

"Bella, keep driving," I snapped over hers and Jacob's questions of what was wrong. She paused for a second before pressing the gas pedal and inching the truck forward. As we drove farther down the road, we grew closer to the figure who I could now tell was a man - a bulky man, at that - wearing only jean cutoffs in the thirty-one degree weather.

He really must have been a superhuman.

The man had his back to us as he followed the road back up towards the cliffs. He was obviously Quileute, but his hair was cropped short and his muscles were massive. He looked like a guy on steroids.

"Who is that?" I asked to no one in particular. I glanced over at my sister and Jacob, only to see Jacob squint at the guy and shrug and Bella bite her lip in confusion.

We passed by the man as we headed up the hill, and I turned to look out the back window over my shoulder. Jacob did the same thing next to me, and I was pretty sure Bella was looking back in her rearview mirror.

"Is that-"

"Ohmygod."

" _Embry?!_ "


	7. I: Six

Embry Call had his hands in the pockets of his shorts as he veered off of the road and onto the pathway that led back up to the cliff. He was dripping wet from his swim and he made it a point to keep his head down and his eyes averted from the truck.

I reached for the door handle just as he disappeared into the tree line. Jacob's hand latched onto my shoulder, holding me back.

"Whoah, Nori, I don't think you should go after him."

I spun back around and glared at him. "Why not? That's my best friend back there and obviously something freaking huge is up."

Jacob grimaced. "He's with Sam Uley. We should just get out of here." He glanced at Bella, and she nodded and continued driving up the road.

I leaned back and Jacob removed his hand. Why would Embry hang out with Sam? Just two weeks ago, he and Quil were talking crap about the guy, claiming that he was a drug lord in the town and apparently Paul Lahote and Jared Cameron had joined forces with him. They had created their own little posse and walked around town half naked, constantly glowering at people. It was strange and to be honest, just hearing them talk about those guys gave me the creeps.

Seeing Embry with them - jumping off cliffs and turning into a steroid junky - made me sick to my stomach. If they could get to Embry, the most intelligent boy I knew, then they could get to anyone. Would they come after Quil next? Seth? Jacob? Bella? _Me?_

I wanted to throttle Sam Uley.

I wanted to throttle Embry for getting mixed up with Sam Uley.

I wanted to throttle Jacob for not letting me throttle Embry for getting mixed up with Sam Uley.

I wanted to cry.

"This is good, Bells." Bella parked the truck and the two of them slid out through her open door. I was too frozen to move. My mind was going crazy as I remembered all of the missed phone calls and Embry avoiding the group ever since that day at Quil's when I had noticed how feverish he was. I had hoped that he was just sick and needed to be alone to get well - obviously, I was wrong and he had ditched us for the dumb drug gang.

He ditched us. _He ditched me._

I should've expected this. People always seemed to fall out of my life sooner or later. It was inevitable.

The tears formed in my eyes and I hopped out and slammed the door hard, causing Bella and Jacob to stop unloading the bikes and stare at me.

"Are you okay?"

I sniffed in response to Jacob's question and gave a watery laugh as the tears threatened to spill over. "Yeah, I'm just peachy." I took a step towards the woods - I knew the woods of La Push like the back of my hand after spending years of hunting with my dad and his friends and exploring as kids with Quil, Jacob, Seth, and…Embry.

"I'm just gonna walk. I'll meet you back at Jacob's later, Bells."

Neither Bella nor Jacob said anything to stop me. They knew better.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

I was barely gone for twenty minutes when my phone started ringing loudly, interrupting the peace of the forest that had cleared my head.

I flipped open the phone and held it up to my ear. "Hello?"

"Nori? Nori, where are you? We need to leave _right now._ Bella needs to get to the hospital."

I spun around on my heel and quickly headed back the way I had come, narrowing my eyes at innocent wildlife as I snapped, "What the hell did you do, Jacob?"

Jacob ignored me, but I could hear him talking to my sister - apparently she didn't want to go to the hospital. She was laughing, as well. What the hell?

"I'll be back in five," I muttered before hanging up, not caring if he heard me or not. I was too stressed out over today. I was like my father - it didn't take much to piss me off a little. And I had a bit of a temper. But most of the time, I was pretty chill and weird. It varied.

I trudged through the forest, ignoring the strange feeling of eyes on my back as I broke through the brush and stepped out onto the road. Bella was sitting on the tailgate while a shirtless Jacob frantically dabbed at her head.

She was bleeding all over the place.

"Whoah, Bella, what happened?" I exclaimed as I rushed over to them. Jacob looked more in pain than Bella did, to be honest. She just shrugged and smiled.

"I guess I don't have any coordination when it comes to driving bikes, either."

I rolled my eyes at her while I snatched the keys from Jacob. "Get her in the car. I'm driving."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Dad was pretty gullible when it came to lying to him. He could fall for practically anything, and since Bella was always a clumsy girl, it wasn't hard to pass that off for the reason for her being in the emergency room. Jacob and I came up with the lie while we rushed to Forks' hospital.

Bella tripped in the garage over some of Jacob's tools and fell. Nothing complicated or special about that, and everyone bought it. It was almost too easy.

And to think, Dad was a detective in a way. That was kind of sad.

What was worse was that Bella lied to him again the next Wednesday when she failed at riding those stupid bikes again. I was glad I hadn't tried them out yet - if my luck was anything like Bella's, I'd be crippled.

Bella spent every day on the reservation. It was almost pathetic how desperate she was for Jacob's company, but I refused to say anything about it. Jacob had been the desperate fool for too many years, and now the roles were reversed in a way. I was just waiting around for the wedding invite.

It soon became just Quil, Seth, and I. With Embry gone to become a part of the Quileute Cult and Jacob spending every second with Bella, our group was dwindling. I was just thankful that I still had the friends I had, though. If they were to ditch me as well, I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

Valentine's day came and went, and Dad spent the day watching a game with Billy while Quil and Seth and I went to Port Angeles to play laser tag. We needed a day away from Clallum County and all of its bullshit. I kicked Quil's butt in one on one. Seth and I held that over his head for an entire week.

Bella spent the day with Jacob, as usual. And when she came home that night, she had a little box of conversation hearts and a grin that could practically break her face.

"Jacob said he would go to the movies with me on Friday," she had said when she joined me at the table to steal some of my cheesecake that I had bought at The Cheesecake Factory before Quil, Seth, and I had left Port Angeles.

I was surprised, to say the least. "Oh, like a date?"

She blushed, but shook her head furiously. "No, no, no. All of my friends from school will be there. It's like a group thing. I just invited Jacob because it'll put a buffer between me and Mike."

I blanched at the sound of that name. "M-Mike Newton?"

Bella had risen a brow, looking at me curiously as she asked, "Yeah, do you know him?"

I shook my head absent-mindedly and left the kitchen without really responding. I knew Mike - I knew him a little too well. He was the reason why I refused to go back to school in Forks.

Bella never asked me about my reaction, and I never brought it up again. I had gotten pretty good at suppressing those memories.

But on Friday morning, when Bella announced that she was going to the movies with just Jacob and Mike because her other friends had backed out, I almost choked on my cereal. Lovesick Jacob and creepy Mike in the same space as Bella? That was crazy. _She_ was crazy.

But this would only be the beginning.


	8. I: Seven

**Hi, everyone! I know nobody really ever reads these, but I just want to thank my AMAZING reviewers! You guys rock!**

 **Side note: Stephenie Meyer owns the Twilight series and all of those characters and the main plot line. However, I'm trying to keep Nori's story in line with the events of Meyer's work so it's more realistic.**

 **Review for more chapters! :D**

* * *

Jacob disappeared after his movie night with Bella and Mike. Billy claimed that he was sick every time Bella called - stomach flu or mono or something. That didn't stop her. She called practically every freaking day.

I was starting to think that Jacob was avoiding her. Something else was happening, because the boy was head over heels for my sister. He wouldn't just dump her without any warning like _douchebag_ did.

At least, I didn't think he would. Then again, I really didn't know Jacob Black.

Quil and Seth started hanging out at our house more than I went to La Push. Bella was depressed again and I didn't want to leave her out, but Billy had apparently made it clear that she was not to go to La Push to see Jacob. I knew even just going near the border would tempt her too much.

I appreciated my friends for not letting her quiet awkwardness weird them out when they came over. They were troopers and I was beyond thankful for them keeping me sane while my sister lost what little sanity she had left.

She depended on Jacob too much, obviously. Without him, she had no idea what to do with herself.

On a Tuesday, Bella's mood changed. My head was in the refrigerator as I searched for something to satisfy the hunger gnawing at my insides when Bella bounced down the stairs, a fire burning in her eyes. She was determined to do something.

"What are you doing right now?"

I glanced at the fridge and back at her, wondering if she was really asking that question. "I'm hunting wabbits," I responded sarcastically in my best Elmer Fudd voice as I grabbed an apple and closed the door.

Bella rolled her eyes, but that didn't stop her upbeat mood. I was a little wary - she could be on the edge, about to snap and kill us all. Wasn't that how serial killers started?

"I want to go hiking, but you heard Charlie." Dad had made it clear a few days ago that we were _not_ to go into the woods alone for any reason; apparently a family of mutated bear creatures were on the loose and someone had already been killed on the hiking trails. It sounded like something from a poorly created horror movie.

"So I was thinking you could come with me. Then I wouldn't be alone."

As much as I really didn't want to go out into the woods with these strange creatures on the loose, I knew Bella would go without me and that was just asking for trouble. She had no idea how to handle herself in the woods - she'd probably never even encountered a wild animal larger than a raccoon before outside of the zoo.

I groaned dramatically. "Only because I love you," I grumbled as I tossed my half eaten apple into the trash and headed for the closet where Dad kept his guns. There was no way in hell I was going out there without some form of protection.

Bella gasped when I pulled out a handgun and began loading it. I noticed her reaction and laughed.

"Relax. I'm not going to shoot anything. This is just for noise to scare things off if we happen to run across a wild animal."

Bella still looked a little scared of me, but she nodded and grabbed her coat anyway. I followed behind her as I put the weapon in the holster I had attached to my side. Dad had taught me how to shoot when I was nine, so I had plenty of experience with handling guns. Bella had nothing to worry about.

"You look so much like Charlie with that thing," Bella mumbled as she glanced at me over the hood of the car before getting in. I laughed and took that as a compliment. Like father like daughter.

Half an hour and four wrong turns later, Bella parked the tank of a truck at the end of a rural dirt road, surrounded by the massive forests of the Olympic Peninsula. She hopped out and trekked into the brush with me following close behind.

"So, is there a reason why we're out here? Or were you just in a dire need to hike your heart out?" I caught a branch that she had brushed past just before it smacked me in the face and took an eye out. I loved the forest, but she had chosen the densest part to walk through. I was pretty sure I would be covered in scratches and poison ivy by the time we reached our destination.

Bella carefully stepped over a fallen log, using a thick branch above her head to hold onto for balance. She was excruciatingly clumsy.

"I'm, uh, looking for something. A meadow," she mumbled absentmindedly as she took in her surroundings, trying to remember the way I guess. I stayed quiet so I wouldn't distract her. The last thing I wanted was for her to get us lost.

We covered nearly four miles - pretty quickly, I may add - before I ran into Bella's back and almost knocked her down.

"Ohmyga-"

I peered around Bella's stiff shoulder to see that she had broken through the tree line and chest-high ferns into a meadow. The space was perfectly symmetrical - a round opening of paradise in the midst of a forest that could be rather uneasy at times. A small stream could be heard from one end of the meadow and tall grass swayed across the space like ripples on water.

It was truly a serene place. I wondered how Bella had found it.

"Whoah," I gasped as I walked by her into the meadow and spun around in a full 360, taking it all in. "Dude, this is _beautiful."_

Bella stayed quiet. Maybe she was reminiscing or something. I was too busy plucking a few flowers from the ground by my feet and creating a mini bouquet for myself.

"Laurent!"

My head snapped up at Bella's cry. About thirty yards away from us stood a man by the tree line. His skin was dark - maybe African American - and his long black hair was styled in dreadlocks. He wore an outfit from the 17th century from the looks of it, and I briefly wondered who in their right mind would wear a costume on a hike.

"Bella?" The man gaped at us as he slowly walked closer. A strange sense of fear tickled my nerves and the hair on the back of my neck stood up with every step he took. "I didn't expect to see you again."

Bella laughed and I flinched at the sound. What was she _doing_? This guy was seriously creeping me out and she acted like they were old friends.

Maybe they were. I mean, they knew each others' names. But something about him was just…off.

"I live here. I thought you were in Alaska…?"

Laurent nodded and stopped his walking. He was only about ten paces away, and I fought against the sudden urge to take a step back as they continued their casual conversation.

"I was, but I found that it was too… _crowded."_ He smiled slyly, as if he had just told an inside joke. "Where have the Cullens gone? Their home is empty - I expected you to be gone, as well." He smirked. I shivered.

My eyes were honed in on the eccentric man, so I had no idea if Bella was behind me or beside me. There was no movement in my peripheral vision. I assumed she was a pace behind me.

"They've moved on." Pain laced Bella's quiet voice as she whispered that statement. It suddenly clicked that the Cullens must have been the name of the family she had been involved with. Cullen must have been douchebag.

No wonder I was set off by this weirdo in front of me. If he was affiliated with the Cullens, then he definitely was a creep that I wanted nothing to do with. God, Bella was so naive sometimes.

"Ah, do they visit?" Laurent asked, and my eyes roamed over his face, remembering the details in case I needed to make a report if he were to do anything to us. He had a fair amount of black scruff contrasting with his dark skin and a wide nose. His sly smile revealed almost inhumanely-white teeth, and the pure perfection of his features was enough to make an average girl swoon. It made me fear him more.

My eyes traveled up to his own eyes, which were focused on my sister somewhere to my right. I forced myself not to gasp at the shocking sight.

They were deep red.

What the hell? If he was going for being the creepiest guy on planet earth, he was succeeding right now.

I could feel the tension in the air thicken as Bella shuffled backwards a step. My eyes darted over to look at her without moving my head or any other body part. She was keeping up a pretty good poker face, but I could see the sudden fear in her eyes. She must have noticed his strange irises as well - or maybe she finally came to her senses.

"Oh, yes. They pass through nearly every weekend." She spewed the bold-faced lie nonchalantly. I was surprised at how well she passed off that lie without stuttering or even suffering from a shaky voice.

"Really? Their scent is rather stale, as if they haven't been around lately." His lips twitched. He knew she was lying.

Bella cleared her throat. "They don't stay in their home anymore. The humans began questioning, so they vacated. Carlisle purchased a home on the north side of Forks for when they visit. I'm sure they'd love to have you stay with them if you'd like." She paused, as if contemplating something. "Well, perhaps that isn't a good idea. You know how Ed…ward can be. He still can't get over the whole James ordeal."

"Oh really?" Laurent replied, rather skeptically. He had definitely caught on. Bella was lying for nothing.

I began analyzing her words as she fed more lies to this psychopath. What did she mean " _the humans began questioning_?" Weren't we all human? And the way she tripped over the name _Edward…_ that must have been douchebag. But who in the world was James?

I zoned back into the conversation when Laurent took a hefty step forward. "Victoria won't be too happy when she finds out," he said, almost as if to himself.

I slowly folded my arms around my stomach so that my hand casually rested on the handgun at my side. If he took one more step, he would get a warning shot to the knee.

"Finds out what?" Bella asked, her voice shaking a tiny bit.

"That I've killed you both," Laurent murmured in a seductive purr.

I grabbed the gun, ready to pull and aim, but Bella grabbed my arm and harshly asked, "Why would she care?"

Laurent took one more step towards us, leaving him within an arm's length. He grinned and ran his tongue along his bright teeth, glancing between the two of us.

"I know Edward is gone. They abandoned you and now you have no protection. Victoria is rather…put out that your precious boyfriend killed James. She's coming, Bella." His grin widened slightly and his eyes flashed, turning a darker color so that they were nearly black.

"A mate for a mate."

Bella gasped just as I whipped the gun out faster than lightning. I cocked it back, snapped the safety off and fired at the man's leg. I expected him to scream, grab at the wound in pain and curse us both to eternity in hell.

Instead, he tipped his head back and laughed loudly.

"What the hell?" I whispered in astonishment as Bella whimpered next to me.

Laurent's head dropped back down as his smile tightened into a smirk. "Now, now. Don't you know that I'm invincible?" He tilted his head to the side slightly. "Ah, Bella has been keeping secrets from her family, I see." His smirk grew. "How heroic."

"Please," Bella whispered, clutching onto my arm tightly. "Please don't. I won't tell anyone that you were here. The Cullens will kill you if you don't leave." She tried so hard to sound threatening, but the sob in her voice proved that it was all bark and no bite.

The strange man chuckled. "Believe me, Bella. If your little friend here didn't smell so…tantalizing, I would have left long ago." His blazing red eyes fell on me and my heart nearly jumped out of my chest as fear coursed through me. What was he talking about? How could he even smell me? I hadn't put perfume on or anything strong this morning.

"Don't worry, though. I'll make it quick. Neither of you will feel a thing, which is much better than what Victoria will offer when she finds you."

Faster than I could blink, Laurent had Bella's arm in his hand as he held it up to his face. I noticed a pale, half-moon shaped scar adorning the back of her hand, just where his nose was pressed. It shimmered in the light as the sun bore down over us on an otherwise pleasant day.

This psychopath was going to kill us and nobody would know. I hadn't even had the chance to tell Dad I loved him today or respond to Mom's last three emails. Hell, I still had so much I needed to say to so many people.

Laurent breathed in deeply.

"Mouthwatering."


	9. I: Eight

What happened next was a blur.

Laurent's eyes flickered over the forest and shock covered his features as he lowered Bella's arm from his face.

"What _is_ that?"

A large black creature had emerged from the tree line and was slowly stalking towards us, its teeth bared and a low growl emitting from its chest. It was utterly terrifying, and if I wasn't already facing death by a psycho, I would be shitting myself in fear of this new addition.

This must have been what Dad had talked about. It could pass for a bear - to half blind, confused hikers I guess - but it was obviously much larger and resembled a dog.

Holy moly, it was a _wolf._

I had never seen a wolf even half this size. It was huge! I wasn't sure what I should be more scared of - the wolf or the murderous man.

As if things couldn't get weirder or scarier, four more wolves fell in line behind the first, though they spread out in a formation as if they were warriors heading into battle. They were all different shades of gray, except for the first black one and the one closest to us - it was a deep russet. Each one had its teeth bared and the numerous growls and snarls bouncing off of the trees were louder than thunder.

Laurent released Bella and took a few steps back as the wolves advanced. He had completely forgotten about us, and while it gave us a chance to run, I knew that the likelihood of us outrunning a wolf was zero to none.

The wolves were nearly to us, so I raised my gun and aimed it at the leader, fully prepared to shoot in self defense if he pounced on Bella or me.

But instead, he leaped forward as Laurent disappeared into the woods faster than humanly possible. The wolves chased after him - all except two.

A dark gray wolf with lighter gray patches and the russet wolf stayed behind. The gray one glanced over at the russet one before setting its eyes on me, and the familiarity of those complete heterochromia eyes almost sent me to the ground.

Only one other living being I knew had a brown and a hazel eye like that. But he was a human. Suddenly, the years of listening to Billy tell the Quileute legends hit me like a ton of bricks.

Taha Aki.

Shapeshifters.

Wolves.

Cold ones.

Laurent's red eyes flashed into my mind and the things he said suddenly made sense.

I opened my mouth to call out for Embry, just to see if my theory was correct - hell, I had nothing to lose since my sanity was already waning after today's encounter - but the russet wolf shook its fur and the movement caught my attention. I was so on edge already, any little movement was bound to catch my eye.

I glanced over at the other creature, which was looking my sister over as if to check her for injuries. It's own brown eyes flickered over to me for a split second, but that was all it took.

The earth suddenly slowed to a stop as its dark eyes met mine, and I felt like I was having an out of body experience. My heart rate slowed down to a near stop and I couldn't remember how to breathe or what my middle name was.

And just as quickly as it happened, his eyes left mine and he darted into the forest after the others. My heart began to beat wildly as an unfamiliar tugging sensation burned in my chest.

The gray wolf was left alone with us, and it whined sadly as it stared at me.

I opened my mouth, barely in control of my mind anymore. I was so dang confused and out of it, I half expected myself to wake up from this dream. That's what it seemed like - a crazy, completely made up dream.

Because vampires and shapeshifting wolves didn't exist in the real world, did they?

Before I could say anything, the gray wolf took off into the woods after his pack.

Bella and I found ourselves alone in the silence of the meadow. What was once a beautiful place was now tainted, and I was sure that I would be having nightmares of this place for a long time. I wanted to smack Bella for even inviting me on this stupid hike.

We both let out the breaths that we had been holding.

"What was _that?"_

Bella bit her lip and chanced a glance towards the woods where the wolves and Laurent had disappeared. "I'll explain in the car."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"So I was right."

Bella quirked a brow as she sat up on her bed. After speeding home, we had each taken a shower to rid ourselves of the day at the meadow and then met in Bella's room so she could "explain." She ended up telling me the story of her boyfriend - Edward Cullen. How he was a vampire and he had saved her life from another vampire named James. That was the reason for the scar on her hand and the incident in Phoenix last year, and how she knew Laurent.

It was also the reason why this Victoria woman was after her.

She gave me details about these vampires and their special abilities. Knowing what they were capable of made me that much more afraid of the meadow and Laurent.

"You knew Laurent was a vampire?" she questioned, clearly confused.

I nodded, but moved my hand in a so-so motion from where I sat crisscrossed on the end of her bed, picking at the fuzz on my super fuzzy blue socks. "When the wolves came, I noticed that one of them had multicolored eyes. One brown and one hazel. It struck me as odd and then I remembered that I only knew one person with eyes like that - Embry."

Bella's eyes widened. "Nori, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

I bit my lip and looked at her. "Bella, have you ever been told the Quileute legends?"

"Yeah, Jake told me about them a while back. That's actually…well, it helped me understand what Ed- what the Cullens were." She paused. "But I never thought the wolves existed."

"But it makes total sense. That's why Laurent ran away like he did. And they didn't attack us because _we aren't vampires._ It would also explain why Embry could have been one of them." It suddenly sank in.

I screamed. "Ohmygod!"

"What?!" Bella screamed back after jumping nearly a foot in the air at my outburst.

I smiled at my sudden revelation, not because I was happy, but because it all just made so much sense and gave Embry a legit reason for abandoning me.

"The cult! Sam Uley, Paul, Jared, Embry. _They're_ the pack! Didn't you say that the Cullens showed up and then Sam started the little clan?"

Bella nodded, a new light of understanding glowing in her eyes.

"That's why they went all wolfy! The Cullens came, which meant vampires around here, and suddenly they disappeared for a few weeks and turned! And plus, there were five wolves out there today." I counted off on my fingers for visualization. "Sam, Embry, Paul, Jared, and…" I stopped.

Bella sucked in a breath, knowing where I was going with this. She immediately began shaking her head violently.

"No, no, no, no, no. That can't be right! He wouldn't - He would tell me if something like that happened. I mean, I'm his _best friend!_ He told me about the Cullens, so he would tell me about this…right?"

I shrugged as Bella's eyes filled with tears.

"W-We have to go to La Push," she whispered.

I thought about it for a second. If telling the guys that we knew their secret meant I could get my friendship back with Embry, then it would totally be worth it. Plus being involved with supernatural creatures just seemed freaking awesome - minus the scary moments when they could kill you, like today.

But on the other hand, they may deny everything and still ignore us. I didn't know if I could handle that. Knowing the truth but being denied because I'm human or not cool enough to be part of the group? I'd rather stay in the dark.

"I have to see Jacob," Bella whispered brokenly, wiping her tears away.

I sighed. "Fine. But can we go tomorrow? I can only take one supernatural occurrence every twenty-four hours."


	10. I: Nine

**So, I was asked to post an actress for who I picture as Nori. The only problem is, I really don't have an actress in mind. I picture Nori as being a younger version of myself in a way.**

 **BUT, if you really want to have a visual of what Nori would look the most like, think of a taller Mae Whitman from _The Duff_ , with a style more like 90s grunge.**

 **Anyway, I don't own blah blah blah. Nori is my pride and joy. Now, carry on!**

* * *

For as long as I can remember, I have never feared the wildlife in Forks. I used to love running through the woods with my friends or Dad and his buddies as we explored or hunted. It was a part of my life and I never regretted it.

However, as I stood in the doorway of the house while Bella walked towards the car, I could only feel the fear coursing through my veins as my eyes combed the tree line. What if Laurent survived? What if we were wrong and those wolves were really just normal wolves with genetic mutations or something? What if Victoria was here, waiting to attack us and kill Bella? Was that a movement by the far bush? Was that a person?

 _It's a squirrel_ , my mind whispered as soon as the furry creature scurried out of the bush and up the tree. _Calm down._

Why was this so hard?

"Nori, are you coming?" Bella was in the truck, but peered out through the open door to look at me.

I took a deep breath. I could do this. It was broad daylight and we were in the middle of town - surely no supernatural creature would venture this far in the city limits and risk being seen.

I didn't bother grabbing one of Dad's guns because I knew they were pointless against vampires after using it on Laurent. I had no weapon to protect myself - I could only hope that if something were to happen, those wolves - my friends? - would sense it and show up again.

I stepped over the threshold and closed the locked door behind me. Bella had the keys so I couldn't turn back now, even if all I wanted to do was run back upstairs and hide under my covers.

* * *

The ride to La Push took forever, but maybe that's just because I couldn't focus on the music or sit still. I was playing one of Jacob's CDs that he kept in Bella's truck again, and I still couldn't get over the fact that his music taste was literally the same as mine. It was wild.

The song switched from an upbeat Nirvana tune to Day is Done by Nick Drake. The soft acoustic guitar filled the cab as I sang along softly to the lyrics in an attempt to clear my head.

"You have a really nice voice, Nor," Bella commented after a moment. "Do you still write music?"

"Not really," I murmured before continuing on with the song. I used to write music constantly, but since the incident a few years ago at Forks High, I hadn't been able to find the inspiration for any new lyrics. It was like the day everything went down, a piece of me died.

The rest of the drive was silent, save for the music playing through the speakers. Bella pulled up into the yard just as my cell phone rang.

I answered it as Bella stared at me impatiently. "Hello?"

"Nori-Nor!"

I grimaced. I didn't have time for Quil. He probably just wanted to hang out or joke around, and as much as I'd love to, I had bigger things happening at the moment.

"Quil, now isn't the time. Can I call you back?" I tried to keep my voice from conveying any annoyance or stress.

Quil knew me better than that. He was suddenly very serious. "Nori, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just have to help Bella with something and it's really important and I can't talk about it right now but I'll tell you everything later and-" My rambling was cut off when Bella smacked my arm and sent me a pointed look.

"Nor-"

"Quil, I promise I'll talk to you later." I hung up as he protested and buried the guilty feeling in my gut. I never hung up on my friends in a serious conversation like that. It was the bitchiest thing ever.

Bella opened her mouth to say something, but I caught sight of Sam Uley and his gang appearing from the forest. She must have noticed the way my jaw dropped, because she turned to look as well.

"Oh my," she murmured as the four members exited, with a fifth one following closely behind.

Jacob Black had gone from being a lanky, beanpole of a boy to becoming a giant, body-building man. His long hair that Bella had loved from day one was cropped short, but not as short as the others'. Instead of being a buzz cut or cropped close to his head, it was left just shaggy enough to fall over his forehead or be messily windswept. He was so attractive now, my poor eyes couldn't handle it.

My mouth was dryer than an Arizona desert.

But as I looked further, I could see the dark circles under his eyes and the way he shuffled his feet stiffly as he walked with a frown in place. He was miserable, and I wondered if it had to do with the whole wolf thing or if it was because he missed Bella.

The thought caused a stinging sensation in my chest, and I scratched at it through my shirt as if that would take care of it. It wouldn't stop.

As if he could feel our eyes on him, his head jerked up and honed in on the truck in the driveway. I half expected him to grin widely and show his excitement at seeing Bella like he used to always do.

Instead, he scowled and marched towards us.

"Oh hell," I muttered as Bella grabbed the door handle and got out. By the way Jacob was reacting, we were not welcome here.

Bella met him in front of the truck, and he immediately began yelling at her. He demanded to know why she was here and she kept giving meek half-answers, as if she were afraid to mention the real reason for our visit.

God, she was chickening out.

I rolled my eyes as Jacob stalked off into the woods, angry at whatever my sister had said, and she followed after him like a lost puppy. My, how the roles had changed over the years. It was almost comical.

But nothing was funny about today. Sam and the others stood by Jacob's house now, and Sam was staring harshly at the woods where Jacob and Bella had disappeared.

I knew that this was my chance. I could just talk to them without a stuttering Bella or a pissed off Jacob. Maybe they would be honest. Maybe they would help me better understand all of this.

I hopped out of the truck and walked towards them.

Obviously, they hadn't expected me to be there, because as soon as I came around the side of the truck, their jaws dropped and all four of them glanced towards where Jacob disappeared. It was weird how in sync they all were.

"Sam, I need to talk to you," I stated calmly. No need to get fired up like Bella and Jacob.

"Why don't you mind your own business, _Nori_ ," one boy sneered. He was shorter than the others, but his muscles were much thicker and I knew he could crush me with a flick of his pinky finger.

I clenched my jaw and glared at him. "Maybe because this _business_ involves my family and friends, _Paul._ "

Paul shivered.

"Nori, I think it's in your best interest to take Bella and go home. There is nothing to talk about here," Sam said, the authority filling his voice.

Embry and Jared refused to look at me. I could feel the annoyance bubbling in my veins as Sam gave me his best poker face and Paul glowered down at me. I just wanted to know the truth. I just wanted it to be confirmed so I could sleep better at night knowing that they were protecting us. They had to know how grateful I was for them saving our lives the day before. In order for me to thank them, though, they needed to know that I knew.

So I sucked in a deep breath and blurted it out. The truth. The question that had plagued my mind since the meadow fiasco.

"Are the legends for real?"

I expected Sam to choke or act surprised or something, but his poker face was stunningly clear. He took a moment to stare me down before he cleared his throat. "What makes you ask that?"

I bit my lip as I glanced at the others flanking Sam. Each of them had stoney expressions, but the way they averted their eyes gave me a clear inclination that I was on the right track.

"Something happened yesterday, and certain… _creatures_ that reminded me of the legends saved mine and Bella's lives from a, uh, _cold person."_ I emphasized the points that I hoped they would catch onto, so that if I was wrong, I wouldn't look as stupid as if I were to blurt out 'you're a werewolf!' "And, one certain creature happened to have eyes that were easily recognizable." I glanced at Embry and he covered his face with his hand, giving it all away as if he was mentally cursing his lineage for his eye colors.

Sam blanched, showing emotion for once. It was obvious that he had never expected me to put it all together, or to notice Embry's eyes. He seemed to contemplate for a minute before he murmured, "You're a smart one." Jared lightly punched Embry in the arm while they laughed, and Sam just smiled in awe at me. Paul was still glaring.

"Great, spill the secret to the leech lover's family," he growled.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Paul. I don't like the Cullens anymore than you do."

He shivered again.

"Dude, chill out. Nori would never blow our cover," Embry reasoned and I sent him a grin. I had really missed my friend.

Something brushed my shoulder roughly, and Bella was suddenly between Sam and I. She shoved him against the chest as she screamed, "This is all your fault! He didn't want to be one of you and you forced him into this!" She banged her fists against his chest.

"Watch it, leech lover," Paul hissed.

"Shut up, Paul," Jared muttered.

Bella shoved Sam again and banged her fists against his chest. "I hate you! I hate all of you!"

"If it wasn't for us, you'd be sucked dry and lying in that Godforsaken meadow for Charlie to find you," Paul growled as a shiver once again shook his frame. Sam laid a hand on Paul's shoulder as he murmured something under his breath.

I grabbed Bella's arm as she raised her hand to hit Sam again and shoved her behind me, putting some space between the two as we took a few steps back. "Bella, stop. You're making a fool out of yourself."

"Oh right, as if hanging around murderers didn't make her a damn fool before!"

My father used to praise me on how well I could hold my own in a verbal fight, while Bella would shy away or just take it. I hated fighting with anyone, but my patience had been waning and now it was done. I couldn't bite my tongue as my head snapped to glare at Paul. "I've had about enough of you, Lahote. Shut the fuck up."

My words had their affect, but not in the way I wanted them to.

The next thing I knew, Paul let out an animalistic roar as he tilted his head back and his body shivered violently. Sam yelled Paul's name as he ordered him to calm down, but he was too far gone.

Paul's blazing eyes focused on me as his body began morphing into another form.

And suddenly, Paul no longer existed.

In his place was a large silver wolf, one of the wolves from the meadow, but instead of protecting us, his sights were set on us. Bella was behind me, and in my haste to escape backwards, I had tripped and fallen on my backside, taking her down with me. I was currently sitting on her foot and while I knew that had to be uncomfortable, I couldn't find it in myself to move. I was too busy watching the wolf take a menacing step towards us.

Sam wrapped his long arms around Paul as he yelled at Paul to stop, but Paul wasn't able to hear his leader, or alpha, or whatever Sam was to him. He was focused on the enemy - Bella and I were a threat to La Push right now, considering Bella's past and my relation to her.

I wasn't sure who I should yell at: her or Paul.

As Paul took another step, I screamed out, "Paul!" I couldn't hold my tongue when my life was on the line.

I could feel the fear from the meadow incident creeping through my veins. I knew they had saved our lives, but I was still terrified of this snarling wolf in front of me. He was angry and now he was fully prepared to take it out on us.

Paul hunched down and Jared immediately grabbed onto one leg while Sam moved to hold an arm over Paul's chest in an attempt to keep him stationary.

And with a wild snarl that sent chills down my back, Paul pounced.

A shriek left my lips as Paul was knocked midair straight into the wall of Billy and Jacob's house, and it was then that I noticed that another wolf had leapt over me and rammed into Paul. Jared had been thrown a few feet to the side from the impact, but the way he jumped up quickly and joined Sam again made it seem like he was completely fine.

Sam began barking orders as he and Jared tried shoving the fighting wolves from the rubble of what was once Rachel and Rebecca's bedroom. I silently thanked God that both girls had left home and their room was nothing but empty beds and an old dresser. Those were all crushed and scratched from the impact.

The wolves tumbled through the yard as Sam and Jared stood by, watching. I wanted to yell at them to do something, but honestly - what could they do? Paul had tried to kill Bella and me and the russet wolf had saved us.

Holy moly, that was Jacob!

"Stop!" I screamed before my mind could contemplate the words. My heart constricted at the thought of Paul harming one hair on Jacob's head over something that was my fault. I shouldn't have provoked him, but I couldn't be blamed for not knowing that anger caused these guys to go into wolf mode. Paul had always been a hotheaded type.

The russet wolf's head snapped to me as the gray wolf took a bite of his shoulder, causing Jacob to howl in pain and snap back at Paul, continuing the fight.

Sam yelled at Embry to get me and Bella out of there while he and Jared continued to try grabbing onto the wolves and pull them apart without getting attacked themselves.

They had to stop this. Jacob was going to get killed if I didn't stop this.

My feet had a mind of their own as they took me closer to the viciously fighting wolves. I didn't know what my plan was. I just knew I had to put a stop to this.

"Nori!" Embry called just before an arm wound around my waist and held me up off the ground so I couldn't keep running. I fought against him as he carried me backwards towards the truck, and I faintly noticed him drag Bella by the elbow. She was strangely calm, as if she was so in shock she couldn't function.

I was the opposite.

"Embry, put me down! They'll kill each other!" I kicked his shins. " _Please,_ Embry!"

He shushed me and put me into the truck before climbing in behind me into the driver's seat while Bella crawled in on my other side. Embry backed up quickly before I could think about jumping out and tore off down the road.

"What's _happening_ back there?" I demanded as Embry took a sharp turn onto the main road. My chest burned and I scratched roughly at the shirt covering it.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed me into his side. "Don't worry about it, Nor. It's just another day in the life of a werewolf," he joked, causing me to sigh. I just wasn't in the mood for jokes at the moment.

Embry must have noticed because he cleared his throat and said, "Sorry you had to see that. I promise we would've never let Paul hurt you. He's just-"

"A deranged werewolf with rabies?" I supplied sarcastically.

"More like a temperamental puppy with oversized fangs," Embry finished for himself with a chuckle. I allowed myself to relax and laugh along, knowing that if Jacob was in real trouble, Embry wouldn't be sitting here cracking jokes.

I tried to tell myself that I was only worried about Jacob because I had started that fight.

"C'mon, we'll hang out here 'til Jake and Paul are done screwing around," Embry said as he hopped out of the truck. Bella and I followed silently.

My chest stung again and I scratched absentmindedly.

Embry parked the truck in the driveway of a little house on the edge of the rez. It was yellow, with flower boxes that I was sure would be full of colorful flowers in the springtime and white shutters. The house was two stories and reminded me of an old farmhouse.

A young woman met us on the porch. As we grew closer, I could see that the woman was young - probably just a year or two older than Bella - and even though she had three long scars on one side of her face, pulling her mouth down at an odd angle, she was still quite beautiful. She was staring at Embry in worry, waiting for him to explain himself.

"Paul phased in front of them. Sam said to bring them here for awhile," Embry said in a monotone as he passed the young woman and walked into the house. She sighed before turning her gaze onto Bella and I.

She smiled softly. "Well, welcome. I'm Emily Young."

I mustered up a smile in return and hoped I didn't look as scared as I felt. I held out my hand to Emily. "Nori Swan. It's nice to meet you. This is my sister, Bella." I motioned to Bella with a tilt of my head.

Emily's eyes widened slightly. "Jacob's Bella?"

I flinched at the term without even thinking about it. What did I care? Bella had always been Jacob's Bella, except for when she was douchebag's Bella, I guess.

Bella confirmed Emily's question and she ushered us inside as she told us that she had just finished baking brownies for "the boys." I assumed she meant Sam's gang.

Embry had already stuffed half a pan of hot brownies down his throat by the time we reached the kitchen. Emily scolded him and smacked him with a dishrag as Bella and I joined him at the table.

Embry laid an arm over the back of my chair and offered me a bite of the brownie in his hand. I eagerly pinched off a chunk and popped it into my mouth as Bella stared down at the table.

"What's wrong, Bells?" I asked, my mood higher since my break down at the Blacks'. With Embry's encouragement, I had a good feeling that everything was okay between Paul and Jacob and that they'd be back soon without any problems - hopefully.

Bella shrugged. "Just worried about Jacob, is all," she mumbled.

"Those boys fight all the time. Have a brownie, sweetie. It'll cheer you up." Emily scooped a brownie onto a napkin and handed it to Bella. She took it and began picking off crumbs.

"So, I guess now you know the boys' secret, thanks to Pa-" Emily began, but Embry interrupted her.

"Actually, Nori figured it out. She was thanking us for saving hers and Bella's lives yesterday when Paul started being a prick and wolfed out." Embry grinned down at me as he continued. "We can hang out again now, thanks to these stupid eyes of mine."

"Eyes?" Emily asked, confused.

I laughed and hugged Embry from the side. "I noticed Embry's eyes when he and the others saved us. That and remembering the legends and the fact that a vampire tried to kill us kind of helped me figure it out."

Emily was obviously shocked, but she smiled anyway. "That's amazing! And now I'll have girls to help me cook for these wolves," she teased as she poked Embry's cheek and headed back towards the stove.

Bella stood and quietly asked where the restroom was. After Emily gave her directions, she disappeared down the hallway just as the front door opened.

I spun around in my seat just in time to see Paul and Jared walk in the back door, laughing and shoving each other as a stony-faced Sam followed behind. The screen door slammed shut behind them and the first two dug into the brownies while Sam kissed Emily and wrapped an arm around her.

I noticed that Paul had red marks on his shoulders and forearms that were quickly fading.

The door squeaked as it opened again and I practically fell out of my chair as I spun back around. Embry chuckled at me, but my throat was dry when I caught sight of Jacob coming through the door. His head was down and a large red mark was on his shoulder, but otherwise he was completely unharmed. His head snapped up and his eyes found me. I offered him a small smile.

His eyes darted down to Embry's arm on my chair and he looked away.

"I heard you spilled the beans, Paul," Emily teased from her place in Sam's arms by the stove. Paul swallowed the brownie in his mouth while rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, right. If it weren't for Miss Spitfire over here, I would've totally kept my cool." He pointed to me and glared, but then he shocked me by grinning. "Sorry about that, by the way."

I shrugged, pushing my shock away to the back of my mind. "No biggie. It was actually kind of awesome."

Everyone froze and stared at me as if I had grown a third head.

"What?"

Embry placed his hand on my forehead. "Nope, she's not feverish. Are you sure you're feeling okay, Nor? You're saying crazy things."

I laughed and shoved his hand away. "Dude, I'm fine. It's just - Okay, how often do you see a guy turn into a ginormous wolf right in front of you?"

The boys all stared at me with 'what do you think?' looks and I bit my lip. "Well, okay, bad example. It's just really cool to me. I wish I could turn into a big ol' wolf so I could've kicked Paul's ass." I smirked at Paul, who threw a piece of brownie at me, which I caught in my mouth and chewed with a larger smirk on my face.

"Damn, I never thought I'd say this about a Swan, but she's the coolest chick I know," Jared said. I grinned as the others laughed and the chair beside me moved. Jacob sat down and took a brownie from the tray.

Emily and Sam were sharing a moment while Jared, Paul, and Embry began joking about something, so I took that moment to do something that was nagging at the back of my mind ever since the last person walked into the house.

I poked Jacob's bare shoulder and he nearly fell out of his chair by how high he jumped. I took it as being the strong shock that occurred as soon as I touched him. I must have rubbed my sweater with that hand and gained a ton of static electricity.

"Sorry," I whispered as Jacob scooted slightly away from me. Geeze, way to go Nori. Electrocute the guy who saved your life.

"S'fine," he mumbled around the brownie in his mouth as he continued staring down at his hands on the table. He looked so much like Bella had, it was scary.

I cleared my throat lightly. "I, um, I just wanted to thank you for stepping in earlier. I'd be wolf chow by now if it weren't for you." I laughed, but Jacob just clenched his fist.

"Yeah, don't mention it," he muttered. I was a little confused by his behavior - usually he was very cheery and upbeat. Even though he had never really talked to me before other than the occasional conversation when we hung out with our friends, he had never been so distant. It bothered me more than it should have.

"So, yeah, thanks ag-"

"Stop," Jacob snapped loudly, causing the room to fall quiet as everyone stared us down. I could feel myself blushing at the sudden attention and Jacob's rude outburst.

"Just, stop talking. I don't want to talk to you. I don't want to look at you. I don't want to be within a five-hundred foot radius of you. I've been nice to you because you're Bella's sister. I love _Bella."_ He stood up abruptly, the chair falling backwards onto the floor loudly. _"_ I know you think I saved your life or some shit but I didn't. If it were up to me, I would have grabbed Bella yesterday and let that leech take you because you ruined _everything_. And the only reason why I stepped in today is because somebody needed to before Paul screwed up and killed somebody, and nobody else had the balls to. By the way, my house is a disaster now because you couldn't leave things alone." Jacob's face was twisted into a scowl as he glared down at me, and I was frozen in my spot as he leaned down farther. "So don't bother thanking me. Just stay the fuck away from me."

With that, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

The room was deathly silent as I tried to remember how to breathe again. I couldn't think straight. My mind was trying to process everything he had said and I couldn't. I just couldn't. I was too shocked and confused and hurt and tired and just - what the hell had I done to him to deserve that? And why was it so hard to breathe now? I hated how I suddenly had these strange emotions that tugged at my insides and left me feeling as though I were tied up in knots.

Bella appeared from the hallway and broke the silence first as she asked, "Where is Jacob?"

I stood and walked out the door.


	11. I: Ten

**Aw, guys! The reviews seriously make my day. Keep it up!**

 **I've finished Part I of Sunburn and am now working on Part II, so I'll be updating with the completed chapters every other day or so. Any ideas, leave them in the comments c:**

* * *

 _I don't want to be within a five-hundred foot radius of you._

 _Stay the fuck away from me._

 _If it were up to me, I would have grabbed Bella yesterday and let that leech take you._

It had been three days since the incident at Jacob's. Embry had stopped by with goodies from Emily and Dad had nearly had a stroke when he saw how big my best friend was now. He had immediately questioned the poor boy about steroids and drugs, and Embry swore up and down that he had just gotten into working out as a stress-reliever. I would have believed him if I didn't know the truth.

I was curled up in bed, where I had practically lived since I stormed out of Emily's and walked halfway back to Forks before Dad finally met me and took me the rest of the way. Bella stayed late. Apparently she had followed Jacob and spent the day with him.

I hated her. No, that was harsh, but I was definitely hurt and pissed off.

Why was I so emotional over this?! Why would anything Jacob Black ever said to me cause me to shut down and feel like complete and utter crap? I had never cared about what anyone said before. If Paul or Sam were to say those words to me I wouldn't care because they were irrelevant people to me. I barely knew them.

I barely knew Jacob. And yet his words cut me like a knife and left the wounds open to bleed out.

 _I don't want to talk to you. I love Bella._

I knew this. I knew he loved Bella. So why did that phrase keep flittering around in my head, stabbing me deeper each time? I was going mad with this. Nothing made sense anymore. I hated it.

My chest burned hotly and I scratched at the surface.

A knock came at the door of my room. Dad stood there holding a plate of food as he shuffled his feet. "Nori? I think we need to talk."

I sat up and threw my rat's nest that I called hair up into a bun as Dad sat down on the end of my bed and held onto the plate of lasagne in his hands - geeze, couldn't Bella cook _anything_ else? I hated lasagne.

"Nori, I'm going to be honest." He took a deep breath and looked at me. "You're starting to act like Bella did when that Cullen boy skipped town and I'm worried." He looked down at his knees as if to get his thoughts into order. I had no idea what to tell him.

"Is it something I did? Is this because I made you come home?"

I shook my head quickly. As much as that had angered me, it was the least of my problems now. My brain was too focused on supernatural creatures and stupid Jacob Black.

"I just-" I began before clearing my throat. "I'm just going through a lot right now. I'm sorry, Dad."

Dad grabbed my ankle from over the covers and shook gently as he smiled sadly. "You're forgiven, sport. How about we go fishing this weekend? We haven't done that since you got back. Maybe it will help clear your head. I know it helps me sometimes."

I bit my lip. Fishing most likely meant Billy, which could mean Jacob.

But why did I care if Jacob was there?

"Yeah, that sounds awesome, Dad."

 _I don't want to be within a five-hundred foot radius of you._

Good luck with that, Jacob Black.

* * *

It was Thursday and I was dying of boredom. I had successfully hidden in my room for five days without an issue, but now my head hurt from constantly replaying the confrontation with Paul and Jacob's outburst at Emily's and I had run out of things to do to distract myself within these four walls.

My phone rang, and I half expected it to be Quil. He had been calling, wanting to hang out since Seth had gone to the Makah reservation for two weeks to visit his mother's family. I had told him I was sick and couldn't go anywhere, but the truth was I just didn't know how to face him and lie to his face when he talked about Sam's gang. I didn't want to lie to my friends.

The phone stopped ringing and I silently apologized to Quil as I pulled the covers up to my chin and clutched a long pillow, hugging it to my chest. My chest had been hurting ever since Emily's, and I couldn't figure out what was happening. It was like a dull ache - nothing like indigestion or a pulled muscle, like I had had in the past. I briefly wondered if I should go to the hospital, but the chance of having a heart attack at only sixteen was highly unlikely.

My ringtone filled the quiet room again and I groaned loudly. Why couldn't Quil just go play his games online with other gamers? He didn't _have_ to have another player there in person. Geeze.

I snatched the device off of the bedside table and flipped it open, holding it to my ear as I grumbled, "Quil, I'm sick." Maybe he'd take that excuse and leave me to wallow in…well, whatever I was wallowing in.

"Sorry to hear that, but it's not Quil," a deeper voice chuckled on the other end. I face-palmed.

"Oh gosh, Embry, I'm sorry. I'm just so used to Quil blowing up my phone ten times a day to go play that stupid Halo game."

"You should know by now that Quil is a needy little bastard and he won't stop until you let him crush you at least twice in any game," Embry joked.

I laughed. "Sounds about right."

Embry cleared his throat lightly. "So, uh, are you really sick or was that just your way of getting out of an ass beating?"

"Ass beatings weren't on my to-do list today," I reasoned, wondering why Embry sounded so nervous.

Embry chuckled again, but this time it sounded a little off - as if he were forcing it. What was wrong? Was he mad at me, too?

"Then would you be up for leaving the house today? You've been cooped up for five days, Nor."

I blanched. What the heck? "H-How did - Embry Call, are you stalking me?"

"Well I had nothing else to do." He laughed, and it definitely wasn't forced this time. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Bella told Jacob that you hadn't left your room since…" He didn't mention the incident and I was thankful for that. Though, hearing that Bella had been hanging out with Jacob bothered me. Did she even know what was said? Had anyone told her how big of an ass Jacob was? If they got married, I was totally boycotting that event. I didn't approve of Jacob anymore.

"Oh," I murmured. "I've just been, uh, reconnecting with my eyelids. You know, boarding school really takes a lot out of a person, Em. I was bound to crash sooner or later," I forced a laugh at the end of my little white lie. It made no sense because it had been months since I'd returned home.

Embry was silent for a second. "Nori, don't lie to me. I'm not going too push you for answers, but I know you're upset and staying in your room forever won't fix that." I heard someone yell at him in the background before he shoved somebody and whined away from the phone, "Jared, dude, shut _up."_

I giggled.

"Sorry about that. Jared's mentally messed up, but you already knew that," Embry joked. "Anyway, I wanted to ask you something." He took a deep breath while I waited silently for his question. "Do you want to hang out? But like, maybe hang out in Seattle? Maybe at the mall and I'll buy you comfort food and we can just get away from supernatural stuff for awhile?" He sounded so hopeful and nervous, I couldn't help but smile. To be honest, I had crushed on Embry for awhile when we were in middle school, but he had always claimed he never wanted to date anyone because he was scared of hurting a girl like his father had hurt his mother. To this day, he still didn't know who his father was and his mother still cried herself to sleep over the man.

"Nori?"

I jumped, startled. "Oh, yeah, of course! That would be awesome. I've missed hanging out with you, Em."

"Cool! I'll come pick you up in half an hour. Is that okay?" he asked excitedly.

I nodded even though he couldn't see as I told him that would be great and hung up. As soon as my phone was snapped shut, I realized what I had agreed to.

I was leaving the house. What if a vampire was in Seattle? What if this Victoria woman followed us there? There were plenty of people there for them to eat, or drink.

But then I reminded myself that Embry would be there. He would protect me. He was a werewolf, for God's sakes. And not only that, but he was my best friend. I had nothing to worry about.

I rolled out of bed and quickly changed into black skinny jeans and an oversized forest green and black flannel that actually belonged to my dad, dwarfing me and making me look as if I were smaller than I really was. I threw my hair up into a messy bun because I was too lazy to even attempt to straighten the wild and tangled waves.

After applying a light amount of foundation to my skin and winged eyeliner to my tired eyes, I brushed my teeth and spritzed my normal perfume into the air, dancing around in the cloud as if I were a ballerina. I laughed at myself before checking my reflection in the full length mirror and grimacing.

I had always had issues with how I saw myself. I wasn't fat by any means, but I wasn't slim and beautiful like my sister. My thighs touched lightly and I could pinch at the flubber around my belly button. My face was round and my cheeks pudgy while Bella's was thin and model-like. I hated that.

 _Stop it,_ I scolded myself. _You're fine how you are._

I turned and left the room before I could prove myself wrong.

* * *

"Where are you going?"

Bella was shrugging on her coat by the back door when I stepped into the kitchen. I just needed to grab my shoes before I'd be ready to go with Embry.

Bella froze, her eyes meeting mine, before she looked away and blushed. "Um, well, I'm meeting Jake," she mumbled as she knelt down and laced up her boots.

I ignored the stabbing sensation that hit my chest. I was just upset that my sister was still hanging out with that jerk after what he said, but then again, she didn't know. I didn't want to ruin her happiness after she already went through so much with the Cullens.

"Oh, have fun," I said as I grabbed my shoes from the floor by where she was kneeling and shoved the black Vans onto my feet. Bella stood and looked at me, as if she were about to say something.

"Well, bye," I said quickly as I passed her and walked out the door, forgoing a jacket since it meant spending more time in her presence. I was just angry and it bothered me more and more.

"Wait!" Bella called from the doorway. I stopped walking but didn't turn around, afraid of what she was going to say. The cold air nipped at my skin through the flannel shirt, and I wished I had thrown a tank top or something on underneath to help preserve my body heat. I was going to freeze.

"Where are you going?"

As she asked her question, a familiar truck pulled into the driveway, the gravel crunching underneath the tires. It was a blue '75 Ford F250 Hi Boy, and Embry and Jacob had spent the entire summer rebuilding the engine and restoring the body last year. Embry had emailed me photos nearly every week of their progress.

My mouth had a mind of its own when I turned slightly and called over my shoulder, "I've got a date with Embry," and marched off towards the truck. I didn't bother looking back at Bella - I knew she was shocked.

I climbed up into the passenger seat and turned to greet Embry, but he was smirking at me. "So this is a date?"

I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. "Just drive, pup."


	12. Who is Nori Swan?

**I know, I know. Author's notes suck. This is important, though, so PLEASE READ.**

 **I've had a lot of people ask me not to make Bella a bad guy, not to let Nori give in to the imprint, and for Bella and Jacob to just be together. I understand where ya'll are coming from! However, some of these things are inevitable.**

 _ **don't make Nori hate Bella:**_ **Look at it from Nori's point of view. Nori's best friends are wolves. Her sister is in love with a vampire - the enemy. There will be a little bit of animosity there. Plus, I have sisters. We fight, we curse each other, we get angry and throw blame, but we forgive. We don't hold onto bad feelings forever. Nori saw Bella about as often as Meyer said Charlie saw her. They aren't exactly close to begin with. Not to mention the fact that Bella also loves Jacob. Even though Nori isn't exactly in love with Jacob, she _is_ his imprint and therefore, she does care about him to a certain extent. Seeing Bella string him along and later go back to Edward will make Nori feel some type of way. **

_**nori shouldn't give in to the imprint:**_ **I agree that she shouldn't give in immediately like Stephenie Meyer had happen with practically every other imprint mentioned: Kim, Claire, Rachel, _and_ Emily. It was ridiculous. Nori is happy with her best friend/crush, Embry. BUT, keep in mind that the imprint is a pretty serious bond. It's practically inevitable that they'll end up together sooner or later. For all you Jacob/Nori fans, never fear! And even those Embry/Nori and Jacob/Bella and Edward/Bella fans. There will be something for all of you in the future chapters. Don't understand how that could work? I'm a magician. I'll make it happen.**

 ** _nori shouldn't obsess over jacob:_ Okay, okay. I know what you mean. She may be going a tad bit overboard with her obsessing. But look at it this way - imprinting is such a strong phenomenon according to Meyer and the legends and whatever. It completely changes a person's outlook on someone else. When Jacob imprinted on Renesmee in the books, his main worry was her safety and happiness afterwards. He _left his pack_ to protect her. Imprinting affects the people more than a natural, real life romance. Nori would have never thought of Jacob before. But now, he's always on her mind. It's the imprint working to bring the two together. Emily would have never taken Sam after he screwed Leah over like that if imprinting were not involved.**

 _ **keep bella sweet:**_ **I don't intend to make Bella an evil, manipulative person like so many other fanfics make her out to be. I liked Bella as a character. The thing is, she's got so much going on in her own life. Like Nori is fighting with her new emotions and feelings and the onslaught of supernatural happenings, Bella is trying to choose between two men she loves _and_ determine her own fate. How many of us get to decide if we want to live for sixty years or eternity? It's a huge decision. Bella has vampires coming after her as well and has to keep so many secrets. Smothering yourself like that can cause you to change a little. She won't be the same Bella who came to Forks with no idea of the supernatural world, just like Nori won't be the same girl who came back from school out east. People change. Life happens. From Nori's point of view, there will be plenty of times where Bella may be perceived as mean or hurtful or something. Keep in mind that this is only one person's view. It can change. Nori doesn't always see the whole picture. Don't judge Bella too harshly for her actions in Part I. She is a strong character who will be seen as good later on.**

 **I swear I'm not trying to call anyone out! I only wanted to clear up any confusion or questions. I have already planned many twists and turns in this story. It's going to cover the last 3 books, so there will be plenty of time for characters to hate each other, make up, fall in love, fall out of love, imprint, fight imprints, turn into vampires, fight vampires, travel, and maybe even eat some pizza together ... lol. The point is, don't judge too harshly until you've read the whole thing c:**

 **I love all of my readers and reviewers. Please, continue to review - even if it's with criticism or questions! I want your input so I can tweak future chapters and make this something everyone will enjoy and reread a thousand times, haha.**

 **Okay, I'm done typing now. Have a lovely day, folks!**


	13. I: Eleven

**So, I had someone ask why Nori would feel so strongly because she isn't a wolf and didn't imprint on Jacob. The reason Nori feels so strongly for Jacob is because the imprint _does_ affect the humans. It's not that they're actually imprinting back on the wolves, but they're finding their soulmates in the wolves. ****Think of Emily in Meyer's books. Why would she take Sam back after what he did to Leah and her own face? Because the imprint pushed her to feel for him. Why would Claire be so attached to Quil? The imprint pushes for her to miss the guy.**

 **Basically, imprinting is a two way street. Sure, it takes the wolves to make eye contact so it happens, but the humans feel it, too. Their world may not stop turning and they may not have the whole firework moment, but they do feel more for their wolf than they would for anyone else.**

 **I hope that makes sense. Any questions, please feel free to comment! And please review with ideas and encouragement and whatnot! They give me motivation to keep this up.**

 **And for all you Embry/Nori fans: this chapter is for you. c:**

* * *

"Starbucks or Orange Julius?"

I bit my lip as Embry and I stood in the middle of a busy mall corridor with an Orange Julius to our right and a Starbucks to our left. Embry was holding a Forever 21 bag with a new top and a pair of distressed jeans inside that I had gotten for a great deal with the money I had brought along. I couldn't turn away when my favorite store was having such an awesome sale.

Embry didn't even complain. He helped me choose the perfect sweater and even waited patiently while I tried it on. This was why he was my best friend. Quil would have gotten distracted by hot girls and ditched me for a bit while he tried to get their numbers. Seth would have blushed the entire time he was in the girls' section of the store and the awkwardly made excuses to go spend the day in Gamestop while I continued shopping alone.

After debating for a minute, I shrugged and looked up at my giant best friend. He towered over me by at least a foot now.

"I don't care. You choose."

Embry sent me a knowing smirk and led us to Starbucks, where he ordered two Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccinos. The girl behind the register eyed him unabashedly and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Having a hot guy as my friend and crush meant that I had to deal with these horny little females.

"Here you go," the girl said as she handed the drinks to Embry over the counter. She was by herself working, and if she wasn't flashing Embry a flirty smile, I would feel bad for her. "I made these specially for you." Oh wow.

"Heh, thanks," Embry responded in an uncomfortable tone as he took the drinks and handed me mine. "Here, baby," he said loudly and the wink he sent me told me what he was up to. He was annoying the flirty girl and I was all for going along with that.

I grinned and took the frozen drink as I grabbed Embry's hand in mine and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, babe." I chanced a glance at the girl behind the counter and saw her scowling at us before moving to help the next customer.

Score.

Embry pulled me down another corridor out of sight and we burst into giggles. "Did you see her face?" I exclaimed as I took a big sip of my drink and giggled again.

Embry nodded and held his own drink up to his mouth. "I thought she was going to scratch my eyes out after I called you 'baby.' It was totally worth the risk though," he grinned cheekily down at me and I fought back a blush at the double meaning behind his words - or was I just imagining that?

It was when Embry laced our fingers together that I realized I was still holding his hand, and I nearly jerked mine back in surprise, but the smile on Embry's face and the feeling of his overly warm fingers between mine brought a whole new rush of feelings through me that I couldn't ignore, nor did I really want to. I was beyond happy at this moment - a feeling I never thought I'd feel again after the sting of Jacob's words only five days ago - and it was all because of Embry. Even something this simple was enough to keep my emotions at their highest point.

I leaned into his side as we walked and talked about anything and everything, and I couldn't help but wish that every day could be like this.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"So, on a scale from one to ten, how awesome was today?" Embry asked as we sat on my front porch. We had just gotten home from Seattle after the long three and a half hour drive, but neither Bella nor Dad were here and I had forgotten my key. Embry, being the gentleman that he was, decided to join me on the porch. I was thankful for his presence - I was too scared to sit out here alone, to be honest. I'd have a panic attack before Embry made it out of town just from the idea that a vampire could come and kill me.

I bit my lip and fake contemplated for a while, just to keep him on edge. I could feel his eyes on the side of my head as I stared out over the yard and breathed in four times before I finally shrugged.

"Eh, I'd say it was a two."

Embry frowned and looked down at his hands. I giggled and leaned against his shoulder slightly before sitting straight again. "I'm kidding, I swear. Today was definitely a ten times a zillion."

We had spent the day just walking around the mall, eating junk food and splurging on expensive drinks. I hadn't bought any other clothes other than the things at Forever 21, even when Embry offered to buy me a t-shirt covered in adorable cat face emoticons in the window of another store. It was a long standing joke between my friends and I that I was a cat lady, simply because I was the one in the group who adamantly refused to ever put myself in the position to let someone control my emotions in a relationship. I had seen what happened to my dad after the divorce, even if I was a baby when the papers were finalized and Mom left; Dad hadn't looked at another woman since, and my heart went out to the lonely man.

Being the awesome person that Embry was, he paid for all of my food and even gave me a piggy back ride up to the porch because my feet hurt from walking all day.

Embry grinned widely and wrapped an arm around my shoulders at the exact moment that I shivered from the cold. The sun had gone down and the world was dark, and since nobody was here to turn the porch lights on, everything was practically pitch black. The moon gave a bit of a glow and I was relying on Embry's night vision to keep us safe.

Embry had answered every one of my crazy questions about the whole werewolf thing while we walked around aimlessly today. He laughed at most of it because of how far off I was. I couldn't help that I was fascinated by the whole shebang.

"Oh geeze, Nori. Why didn't you bring a jacket?" Embry exclaimed as he pulled me closer into his side so that I could soak up the warmth radiating off of him. I wound an arm around his back and rested my head on his shoulder. His warmth was comforting, but I still couldn't get rid of the strange stinging sensation in my chest.

"I forgot," I mumbled, even though that wasn't really true. Embry didn't question me further and I was thankful for that. Instead, he ran his hand up and down my arm, causing friction to warm me. The fact that he was only in a t-shirt didn't even detract from his insane amount of body heat.

It was silent, save for the crickets chirping and Embry's even breathing. It calmed me. I could feel myself dozing off on Embry's shoulder.

"Hey, don't fall asleep on me!" Embry complained softly with a light jerk of his shoulder. "You're too heavy to carry up all of those stairs."

I snorted as he laughed and leaned up off of him. "Excuse me for being tuckered out after walking all over the dang mall a million times today," I grumbled jokingly. Embry poked my side, causing me to squeak as it tickled.

"You liked it," he mumbled in response and I stuck my tongue out at him. But the truth was, I did like it. I always liked spending time with Embry.

Car lights came down the road and turned up into the driveway, and Bella parked the truck beside Embry's own truck just as Embry's head snapped to the bushes. I couldn't see anything, but obviously Embry did.

"I should go," he said sadly with one last glance at the woods. I couldn't help but wonder if Jacob was there, watching over my sister.

Why the hell did I even think of him? I didn't care what he did in his spare time.

"Aw, okay," I pouted playfully as we both stood from the steps.

Bella passed us and unlocked the door before turning and asking, "Are you coming in?" She, too, glanced at the treeline and I knew then that it was Jacob.

I nodded. "I'm just gonna say goodnight to Embry. I'll be in in a sec."

Bella closed the door behind her, and once again Embry and I were alone - well, with the exception of whichever wolf was watching over us through the trees.

Embry was staring at the trees when I turned to face him and I poked his belly button. He snapped back to look at me with a mock scowl on his face.

"Hey! Don't poke the bear, weirdo."

"Don't you mean wolf, dumbass?"

We laughed and I quickly stepped forward and hugged him tightly before he could leave. I loved Embry's hugs. They were always so comforting.

"Thanks for today, Em. You're the best," I murmured into his muscular chest.

His arms wrapped around me tightly as he leaned down and rested his head on top of my own. I could feel him lay a kiss on my hair as he mumbled, "No problemo, short stuff." He leaned back, keeping his arms around me. "You know I'll always be here for you, right? Through thick and thin. I'll be your friend."

I laughed. "Nice rhyming skills there. You're a regular poet."

He stuck his tongue out at me and leaned forward quickly, licking my cheek before I could move out of the way.

"Embry!" I squealed before bursting into giggles.

A loud snarl came from the woods.

I jumped in fright and pressed my face into Embry's chest as he growled lowly, the sound reverberating throughout his diaphragm.

"Fuck off, Jake," he snapped under his breath. I knew that Jacob could hear him with that super-hearing of his.

"Why is Jacob even here?" I grumbled. "Being a dick, as usual..." I added under my breath.

Embry still heard because he chuckled softly. "As usual. But yeah, Jake is keeping an eye on Bella. She told him about this Victoria woman. We've caught her scent a few times and Bella thinks she's after her."

I could feel my blood running cold. These were my fears coming to life.

Embry must have heard my heart rate accelerating and felt me shaking slightly because he squeezed me tighter before leaning back. "Hey, relax. I promise you nothing will happen to you or Bella. We're watching out for you guys."

I took a deep breath to calm myself, but it was useless. At least with Embry's arms around me, I hadn't fallen into a panic stricken coma yet.

Embry's eyes flittered over to the woods again before falling back on me. "I should really go."

I nodded, knowing if I opened my mouth I'd beg Embry to sleep under my bed just in case Victoria showed up. My dad would have a fit if I did that.

"Don't worry, Nor. Everything will be okay." He pressed a kiss to my forehead and bounded down the steps towards his truck. As he hopped into the vehicle, I glanced towards the woods, where I could make out the shadow of a large creature.

Jacob.

I turned and walked into the house, locking the deadbolt and thanking God for once in my life that Jacob Black was outside this house.


	14. I: Twelve

**Hola! I'm so sorry for the wait. I have been dying from school work, but I finally got the chance to log back on and update. Check out my rhyming skills; they're so great.**

 **Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Please review with questions, comments, feedback, etc. :D**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Stephenie Meyer's Twilight content. I only own Nori. Also, please prepare for extensive use of foul language during the latter half of this chapter.**

* * *

I woke up at 5 a.m. to Dad leaning over me, shaking my shoulder gently.

"C'mon, kid. Up and at 'em."

I groaned in response and he took that as the sign that I was awake and promptly left the room, saying to meet him outside in twenty minutes.

I laid in bed for a minute, rubbing my eyes and grunting before I finally forced myself out of bed and into the shower. I was under the hot water in two point five seconds while my eyes struggled to stay open.

I was not a morning person, yet I had grown up with these crack of dawn fishing trips all of my life.

Once dried and dressed in ripped skinny jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt with my wet hair thrown up in a messy bun and my warm gray socks, I applied my normal light amount of foundation before deciding to forgo anymore makeup. I never left the house without at least a little foundation because of my horrid skin - I was pale, so redness showed greatly from little pimples and such. I felt more confident with a bit of something covering the redness.

Dad was in the kitchen finishing a cup of coffee when I came down the stairs. He grinned at me as he poured out what was left in the cup and set it in the sink.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, if you want me to go barefoot," I snickered. I poked my father as I walked past, earning a light shove in return as we both laughed. I loved how I could joke around and be weird with my dad. He was so awkward and unsure around other people, including Bella, so it was nice to know that he was comfortable with being himself around me.

After yanking on my hiking boots that I really only ever wore when I went fishing or hunting with dad, or the occasional hikes through the woods, I pulled on a thick rain coat and followed Dad out to the police cruiser. He had already loaded up the tackle box and poles, which were poking out through an open window on one side of the backseat.

"Let's get this show on the road," Dad said once we were in the car. I would have chuckled at his corny phrase if I wasn't suffering from nerves now that I realized that the likelihood of Jacob being there with Billy was high.

I still couldn't for the life of me understand why I kept thinking of Jacob Black.

We jammed out to the Eagles - Dad's favorite band - on the drive and after listening to _Hotel California_ at least three times in a row just for the heck of it, we finally pulled into the small marina. Billy and Jacob were already here, standing - well, in Billy's case, sitting - by the little fishing boat.

Jacob was glowering at the ground when we approached.

Dad and Billy greeted each other cheerfully, and when Dad spoke to Jacob, the boy cleared his throat and acted as if nothing was wrong, though I could tell that he was still upset and avoiding any eye contact with me. He wouldn't even look in my direction and his jaw was clenched tightly.

What in God's name had I really done to him other than be nice and understanding over the years? This was insane.

We all boarded the vessel and while Dad and Billy talked and steered the boat out onto the open waters, I took a seat near the stern and watched the whitewash as the motor tore through the water. Jacob sat across from me, staring down at his hands. He seemed to do that a lot in my presence - all two times in my presence since he phased. He never did that before.

That stinging sensation appeared again and I scratched at my chest, whimpering when the pain tingled my skin as I rubbed harshly. The physical pain seemed to take away the internal pain in a strange way.

"Uh, are you okay?"

I froze and peeked up at Jacob, who was squinting at me in concern. I was in complete shock that he was talking to me, but then anger coursed through me as I remembered his last words to me six days earlier.

"I'm just fan- _friggin_ -tastic," I snapped lowly so our fathers wouldn't hear my tone. I hoped he would get the message - I was not happy about what he said and he shouldn't even bother trying to talk to me unless it was in the form of an apology and explanation.

Jacob grimaced but stayed silent.

"Yeah, Bella's been at the house every day this week," I overheard Billy tell Dad. "She and Jake are practically a married couple. They're turning into you and me, old man," Billy joked as Dad laughed. Jacob chuckled from his place across from me.

I groaned under my breath and leaned forward onto my forearms as I picked at the skin around my fingernails - a nervous habit I picked up as a kid and never could shake. I shouldn't have come on this trip. I knew Jacob would be here and I still came. It had never been like this, though. Jacob and I had always been able to keep civil conversation and laugh along with our fathers on these fishing trips.

What made him suddenly think I was out to ruin him and Bella?

Billy stopped the boat and Dad handed me a fishing pole. I grabbed a cricket from a container that Billy had bought from Old Quil's store and baited the hook before casting out. My mind focused on the tranquil waters and the steady bobbing of the line and I breathed a sigh of relief as I kneeled down on the cushioned seat and watched the line.

In minutes, the telltale tug was felt.

I squealed in excitement as I quickly reeled in, jerking the pole up as the heavy sea creature fought against me. I had never been a weakling, but I could feel it pulling my upper body over the edge of the boat as I struggled to bring it in.

"Holy _crap_ ," I muttered as the fish pulled even harder.

"You okay, kid?" Billy asked from the bow of the boat.

I didn't bother glancing in his direction, keeping my eyes on the line and my hands moving quickly on the reel as I called back, "Yeah, just fighting with a whale over here."

My dad and Billy laughed at that, but left me to fend for myself. I seemed to be winning and just as the head of the ginormous Pacific halibut came to the surface and I could see how large the fish was - ten times the size of anything I had ever caught before - it jerked sharply downward, causing me to lurch forward and off of the boat.

I screamed just as two warm arms wound around my waist and yanked me back into the boat. The fishing rod flew from my hands into the depths of the dark ocean, following the halibut.

"Nori!" Dad and Billy yelled in sync.

"She's fine, she's fine!" Jacob assured them as the world spun and I tried not to throw up.

"Ohmygod," I breathed out as my heart slowly calmed down. I had nearly gone overboard and the truth was, I couldn't swim. I had never thought about the possibility of falling off the boat; there had never been a situation like that before to even call for nearly falling. I was scared to death and my breaths were coming in short spurts. I mentally scolded myself for not wearing a lifejacket like most people on boats and swore I'd never leave shore without one again.

"Breathe," a deep voice murmured in my ear.

I closed my eyes and focused on breathing in and out until my heart rate had completely calmed down.

"Feel better?"

I nodded and laughed breathlessly. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

Jacob chuckled and it suddenly hit me that I was in his arms, my back flush against his chest as he held me in the same position he had grabbed me. I blushed and pushed his arms away from me. He let go and I took a step away from him, putting a safe distance between us.

I was confused with the events of the past few days, and this just added to the mountain of confusion. I turned and bit my lip, my brows scrunching together as Jacob stared down at me, his face blank but his eyes showing the war he was fighting with himself over this.

"You're probably wishing you didn't save me, aren't you?" I blurted as I looked down at my torn up fingers and brushed away some strands in my face from the messy bun that was falling off my head at an angle now.

I chanced a peek back up at Jacob to see his face twisted in a grim expression. He sighed and glanced at our fathers, who were both focused on fishing and talking again. Billy sent a wary eye over to us before turning back to my father.

Jacob stepped forward so he could speak lowly and I would hear but our fathers wouldn't. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his short hair. "Look," he began. "I know I said some really awful things to you the other day and I'm, well," he looked into my eyes as if to convey how serious he was, "I'm sorry, okay? I don't hate you."

His eyes were a lovely shade of brown. _Stop it, Nori,_ I chastised myself as I contemplated what he said. While his words had hurt, the fact that he was seriously apologizing did help his case. I couldn't hate him when he was looking at me like that.

I offered him a small smile. "I forgive you. But if you ever use me as a target for your anger like that again, I'll send Embry after you," I joked.

Jacob smiled sadly back.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

 _Lenora,_

 _Have you been getting my emails? I haven't heard from you in weeks. Your father says you're fine and Bella has given me vague details on how you're doing. I can barely get any word on how_ she's _doing nowadays, much less how other people are._

 _Sweetheart, I just want you to know that if you're ever going through anything and you need someone to confide in or just a shoulder to cry on, I'm here for you. You'll always be my baby girl._

 _I love you. Be safe. And email me back, child! LOL_

 _\- Mom_

My fingers hovered over the keyboard as I tried to decide on what I wanted to say. My mother had never been a huge fixture in my life; sure, she sent emails every other day and I visited her as a kid, but it wasn't like we had that close bond that most kids had with their mother. That bond was with Dad, I guess. Maybe that was because he was there for me during every huge moment in my life, while Mom was off galavanting around with a man half her age and making Bella grow up and be the mature one before her time. I held a little animosity towards the woman who birthed me to fix a broken marriage and then left before I could speak a word to stop her.

 _Mom,_

 _I just got your emails. I'm fine. Bella's fine. We're all fine, so stop worrying._

 _I'm not sure how that whole shoulder thing will work, considering you're, like, 1500 miles away. Whatever I go through, I'll survive. I am my father's child, after all._

 _Bella could use that shoulder though. You may want to call her._

 _\- Nori_

I bit my lip as I sent the email. No matter how hard I tried, I could never speak or write to my mother without some form of sarcasm or hits below the belt. She was so used to it by now, I'm sure it didn't even bother her. In fact, I remember one time when I sent her an email blessing her out for having the audacity to call Dad and invite him to her wedding to the man she left him for. She laughed at how my father's crude language had rubbed off on me and thought the whole thing was a joke.

"Nori! Quil's on the phone!" Bella called up the stairs. I scooted backwards in my desk chair and skipped down the steps quickly. The only time Quil had ever called the house was when I wouldn't answer my phone and he was stranded in Port Angeles without a ride home. Embry, Jacob, and Jacob's older sister, Rachel, had left him after he spent the entire night hitting on Rachel.

I half expected him to be in Port Angeles again, stranded and in need of my help.

I reached the kitchen and noticed Bella washing dishes at the sink. She glanced over at me and I asked her what Quil wanted. She shrugged.

I picked up the receiver. "What's up, Q?"

"Nori," he croaked. "Nori, I n-need…" His voice cut off as I heard him retch and then breathe heavily.

"Quil, where are you?" I asked urgently as he continued puking and whimpering on the other end of the line.

"My house," he rasped. "Gramps is..in Seattle."

"On my way." I hung up and spun around to face Bella. "Bells, can I please borrow the truck? Quil is seriously sick and he needs me."

Bella gave me a wary look before slowly nodding. "Be careful," she murmured as I hugged her quickly and rushed out the back door, forgetting a jacket and barely remembering to grab my shoes. I put them on as I crossed the yard, hopping on each foot.

I felt horrible as I sped down the road towards La Push in the old tank of Bella's. I had practically ignored Quil since the meadow incident and the spilled secrets and now he was alone and sick and I hadn't known until now. I was such an awful friend. If this had happened before I knew about the pack, I would have coerced Quil into staying with us until his grandparents came back. We would have watched movies and eaten saltine crackers together while he got over his stomach bug and then I would have let him beat me in any game he wanted just so he'd feel better - that was the kind of friend I was.

I _was._ Key word.

"Oh, c'mon," I whined as the truck began smoking just a block away from Quil's. Damn Bella and her 1950s truck that was a piece of crap. I barely made it into Quil's driveway before the engine cut off and I was left cursing at the vehicle, wondering how I would get home and explain this to Bella.

I decided to worry about it later and rushed across the yard and barged into the house. The sound of Quil's labored breathing, curses, and retching came from down the hallway, and I found him in the small bathroom across from his bedroom, kneeled in front of the toilet and drenched in sweat.

When he noticed me in the doorway, he looked up from the bowl and I couldn't stop the gasp that escaped my throat.

Quil looked _horrible._ Circles so dark they were almost black were underneath his eyes and sweat droplets were pouring down his face. His skin seemed to be sticking to his bones and he had obviously been sick for more than an hour by the way the stench of puke filled the entire room.

But on another note, I could see how much he had changed since we last hung out over a few days ago. He was much taller, which meant he was folded around the toilet in an almost uncomfortable position. His once lanky body seemed to be packing a little more muscle, but not quite as much as Embry or Jacob. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was a wolf like the other guys.

I reached forward and pulled his long hair back from his face, tying the strands into a ponytail with a band from my wrist as I soothed him. He retched again and I ran a hand down his back.

He was burning up.

"Oh gosh, Quil, you're hot!" I exclaimed as I wet a washcloth with cold water and ran it over his sweaty face. I expected a quip from him, twisting my words to make it sound like I was complimenting him.

"Oh really now? I hadn't noticed," he seethed. I paused my ministrations and stared at him. Quil was always sarcastic and making jokes, but his tone never reached that level of pissy.

I kept my mouth closed and continued wiping his face with the cloth. After a few minutes and a few flushes, he seemed to be okay enough to leave the bathroom. I helped him into the living room, where he collapsed down onto the couch and complained about how much everything hurt. His bones, his joints, his skin - it all hurt like hell apparently.

I was starting to seriously worry.

I re-wet the washcloth and continued soaking up the sweat on his face and neck as he moaned in pain. But instead of cooling off, his skin only burned hotter with every passing second.

"Quil," I asked carefully, "how long have you been sick?"

He was silent for a minute before he muttered, "Since this morning. I started puking as soon as I woke up and then," Groan. "Then everything started _burning._ Like my body can't handle whatever is attacking it. And I'm pretty sure I grew a foot overnight." He grabbed my hand as I leaned over him and stared up into my eyes. "I'm scared, Nori."

I shushed him and laid the cloth on his head, promising him that everything would be alright while deep inside, I knew what was happening. I couldn't believe Quil was going to be involved with this mess, but it made sense. The heat, the pain, the sudden ontake of the sickness.

I opened my phone and called Embry.

"What are you doing?" Quil asked in a quiet voice.

I patted his hand and stood up as the phone ringed in my ear. "I'm trying to get up with Sam. He'll be able to help you."

Quil's eyebrows shot to his hairline as he sat up quickly, wincing and groaning as soon as he did so. "What the hell, Nori? Why would you call him?"

Embry answered. I ignored his greeting and hissed, "Embry, get Sam right now."

"What's wrong, Nori?" he asked, his tone falling from cheery to serious just as Quil stood from the couch, his body quivering.

"Nori, hang up the damn phone," Quil growled. "You _know_ I hate Sam. Why-"

"Get Sam!" I snapped to Embry.

"Why would you even think of calling him?" Quil's confused face twisted to pain as his body shivered again. "What the hell," he grumbled as soon as the shiver passed.

"Nori?" Sam's voice came over the line. Quil's eyes zeroed in on the device in my hand, as if he could hear Sam's voice and his anger heightened. His arms began shaking slightly and he rolled his neck as he took a step towards me.

I was utterly terrified.

"Sam! Sam, I need your help. I'm at Quil's and-"

"Nori, I swear to God," Quil growled as he advanced. I scurried around to the other side of the dining room table.

"He's really hot and tall and shaking," I rambled into the phone as Quil grabbed a chair and threw it against the wall in anger, causing it to splinter with a loud _bang!_ "And pissed," I squeaked.

"Nori! Hang up the goddamn phone!" Quil roared.

Sam must have heard him because he ordered sternly, "Nori, get out of there! We're on the way," just before hanging up.

I darted out the back door with a furious Quil on my heels.

"Lenora Swan, what the fuck is wrong with you?!"

I spun around as Quil marched towards me and held my hands up, showing him the now-closed phone in my hand. "There, okay? I hung up. So please calm down, Quil."

He took a heavy breath from where he stood a handful of feet away from me, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu. Only a week and a half ago, I was standing this same distance away from another wolf about to phase - Paul.

A shiver racked down Quil's back as a look of agony crossed his face. "Nori," he whimpered. "Why am I so pissed at you?" He ran his hands down his face and tried to breathe, and I took a step towards him to comfort him just as he growled loudly - an animalistic sound coming from his chest.

"Dammit, Nori, why in the hell is everything pissing me off?! What the fuck is _happening_?" he screamed as he tore at his hair and began pacing.

Another shiver racked down his body and he cried out, falling to his knees.

"Quil!" I cried as I ran forward and wrapped my arms around him in a hug from the side, falling to my knees as well. He trembled under my touch and I could see the tears that were starting to fall down his face.

"I'm sorry," he whispered and I squeezed him tighter.

"It'll all be over soon," I whispered, too, not knowing what else to say.

Quil's shaking grew worse and I began crying with him.

"Nori!"

Quil's head snapped to the forest as Embry, Sam, and Jared came marching out of the tree line. Embry's eyes were on me, wide with fear, as Sam stared stonily at Quil and Jared watched Sam for an order.

It was silent for a split second before all hell broke loose.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here?" he snapped at Sam and the others as his shaking grew worse. He stood abruptly, bringing me up with him as I squeezed his midsection tighter.

"Quil, please," I begged.

His dark, fierce eyes flickered to me and I could see the wild wolf blazing behind them. He was so close to phasing and I couldn't make my limbs cooperate and move me out of harm's way.

"You brought them here, dammit," he snarled. "This is _your_ fault!"

I released him in shock as his snarling grew inhuman and his shaking caused his form to blur. Sam barked orders and he and Jared tried to approach Quil, but my friend backed away - dragging me with him by my arm - and screamed, "Stay the fuck away from us!"

Tears fell like rain from my eyes as Quil's head ducked and his eyes screwed shut and then he peeked up, his eyes finding mine as the normal brown color returned for a second. "Nori, help me," he whimpered and I hugged him tightly again, wishing with all of my might that I could.

"Nori, get away from him, _now_!" Sam yelled from where he was standing a few feet away, afraid that if he took another step, Quil would go wolf. I looked up to see that Jared was in wolf form already, waiting for Quil. Sam was eyeing Quil, while Embry was a few feet to his left, closer to me by a few inches and staring straight at the side of my head.

I couldn't move.

Another shiver racked through him and he cried out in agony while I sobbed for him and the fear that coursed through me _of_ him. I didn't want to be scared of my friend, but this was terrifying right now.

Quil doubled over as he screamed out again, and I took this as a chance to step backwards. I scrambled backwards, much like I did the day Paul tried to attack, as Quil leaned up, holding his hands out to me and crying, "Nori, no!"

And as he reached for me, he phased into a wolf for the first time.

I shrieked as his hands turned into paws not two inches in front of my face and the claws barely missed my skin, instead catching onto my unbuttoned flannel shirt and ripping the sides to shreds. Embry grabbed me before I could hit the ground and yanked me away by several feet before I could blink.

"Are you okay? Nori? Are you hurt?" Embry frantically asked as he ran his eyes and hands over me, checking for any signs of damage minus my shirt.

"I'm okay, I'm okay!" I snapped as I looked over his shoulder to see Jared and Sam in wolf form, standing off with Quil. Sam had positioned himself between the raging Quil and us.

"You need to get out of here. Quil isn't in his right mind yet," Embry mumbled as he lifted me into his arms easily and started walking around the side of the house.

"The truck broke down," I told him, wincing as he scowled.

"Damn. Okay, I'll have to run. Have you ever ridden a horse, Nor?"

I laughed, thinking he was crazy. "What? Dude, no, never."

Embry chuckled as he put me down and took a few steps back. "Well, you're about to get a similar experience."


	15. I: Thirteen

**This chapter may be short, but it's important! You'll have a little insight on how Jacob views the whole shapeshifting thing. Also, review! I'll update again when I have 50 reviews.**

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"What the _hell_ happened back there?" a voice roared from the house.

I was sitting on Emily's front porch alone after Embry had gone inside to get me a drink. I could hear several voices now, meaning the pack had returned. And from the sounds of it, someone was seriously pissed.

"Jacob, calm down," Sam ordered.

I blanched. Why was Jacob getting so worked up over this? He should be used to it - Bella was always getting into stupid situations, too.

I chewed on my thumb nail and watched a bird peck at the ground in search of a meal. I didn't want to be here anymore. I just wanted to wake up and have the past week and a half be a dream.

The door opened behind me, and instead of it being Embry, Jacob was standing there holding a can of Pepsi.

"Embry said you wanted this," he mumbled as he sat next to me and handed me the drink. I thanked him quietly and popped the top, eagerly draining half of the can. I glanced up and found Jacob's eyes darting over my face and body, as if he were assessing me for injuries. His eyes met mine and he cleared his throat.

"So, how are you holding up?" Jacob asked awkwardly as he averted his eyes.

I snorted. "Considering this is my third supernatural occurrence in less than two weeks? I'd say I'm still alive and somewhat sane, so it's all good."

Jacob chuckled. "Yeah, that's always a good sign."

We were silent for a minute while I sipped on my drink before I finally asked, "How's Quil?"

"He's not feeling his best."

I bit my lip. "How long until that nausea stuff passes?"

Jacob gave me a confused look. "What? No, that's over with. He feels horrible because he nearly killed you."

I gulped as it all replayed through my mind. "His claws were two inches from my face," I whispered as the breeze caused my ripped shirt to brush against my arms. I glanced down. "And he ruined my favorite flannel!" I whined. "Dammit."

Jacob fingered a shredded piece of the red and black flannel before looking back up at me. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop him," he said sincerely.

I shrugged off the destroyed fabric and folded it in my lap, leaving me in only a black tank top and jeans. Jacob's eyes widened before he coughed and looked away. I smirked at his reaction - my paleness must have blinded him.

"It's okay. I just wish I could have done more. He needed me and I couldn't help him," I murmured as I played with the fabric in my hands.

"Why would you want to help him, though? I mean, he could have killed you so easily." Jacob's brows furrowed. "He's not the same Quil you knew before, you know."

I glared at him. "Yes he is. Embry is the same person I knew before; he's just got the bonus of turning into a wolf at will. Quil was there for me all of my life, so why wouldn't I be there for him?" Jacob stared at me thoughtfully as I took a deep breath and continued. "This whole wolf protectors thing...it changes you physically. You guys are taller, more buff, and you look a little scary," I laughed softly while Jacob snorted. "But the truth is, it doesn't change who you are unless you let it."

I looked over to see Jacob picking at his nails like I usually did. "Nervous habit?"

Jacob snorted again before sending me a small smile. "Do you really think we can be the same people we were before?"

I smiled and covered Jacob's hand with mine, noticing how as soon as I touched him, the heaviness in my chest that I hadn't even known was there immediately disappeared. "Of course," I said. "You just have to choose to not let it change you, Jake."

Jacob turned his hand over and laced our fingers, squeezing lightly as his eyes honed in on our interlocked hands while I watched his face. He sighed as his mouth turned down sideways into a sad smile - it seemed to be the only smile he could give me ever since he went wolf.

He traced the length of my thumb with his thumb and squeezed again.

"I think it's too late for that, Nori."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Ah, man!"

Jacob jumped beside me in shock as we reached the front of Quil's house. He had given me a "ride" - in other words, I rode on his back as he ran through the forest at wolf speed - after Sam had told me that I couldn't see Quil for a few days until he was deemed safe around humans. I understood, but it still sucked that I couldn't be there for my friend like I wanted to be.

"What's wrong?"

Bella's truck was still parked in Quil's yard, just barely off of the road, and while the engine had stopped smoking, I just knew that it wouldn't start.

"I barely made it here before the engine died, so I have no idea how I'll get back to Forks and explain this to Bella," I moaned as I covered my face with my hands and breathed in deeply. Today was just too stressful; scratch that, this _week_ was too stressful.

Jacob laughed and I rolled my eyes at him. "This is serious, Jacob!" I whined and pouted at the stupid truck.

"You're forgetting who you're standing with, Nori." Jacob patted the hood of the old tank and grinned down at me. "I just happen to be the best mechanic on the rez."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Jacob saved my butt in an hour. After adding some sort of fluid and changing a belt, the truck started up as if nothing had ever happened to it and I was home free. I thanked Jacob a million times and he just smiled at me and said, "No problem, Nori. Tell Bells I said 'Hey' and she owes me for helping her baby sister out."

I forced a smile and promised I would relay the message.

The entire ride home, I kicked myself for ever thinking Jacob was a decent guy. He was just using me to get on Bella's good side. The moment on the porch and the advice and support - all of it was fake. Jacob wasn't trying to be my friend; he just wanted to get in my sister's pants, as usual.

The fact that this bothered me so much only made me angrier.

I parked the truck, scratching at my chest as the stinging sensation reappeared, and stalked into the house, too engrossed in my thoughts to even noticed the figure walking next to me until we reached the door and they reached ahead of me and unlocked it.

I jumped half out of my skin and spun around to see Dad standing there chuckling at me.

"You alright there, kid?"

I breathed out an uneasy laugh and nodded quickly, not up for a confrontation. I just wanted to get to my room and call it a day before anything else happened.

Dad opened the door and I walked swiftly through, dumping my jacket and shoes by the door and hurrying up the stairs to my bedroom.

I leaped onto the bed and succumbed to sleep almost immediately.


	16. I: Fourteen

**I swear, I have the best reviewers in the world! You guys rock! And as promised, since ya'll went above and beyond the 50 review goal and gave _60 freaking epic reviews_ , I am giving you guys a double update :D Make it to 75 and I'll update again! **

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Spring break came for Bella. She was glad to be away from school and "normal" people, but I wasn't looking forward to seeing her more often. Ever since Jacob became part of the pack, Bella had started acting strange. She would send me knowing looks, make excuses for why I couldn't go to La Push with her, and anytime Jacob was mentioned - whether by Dad or anyone else - she would immediately lead the conversation, as if she knew the most about him and he was her prized possession. She was sure to send me smug looks every time, as well. It got under my skin and drove me crazy, much to my dissatisfaction.

I was sitting on my bed, surrounded by crinkled paper with a notebook in my lap as I worked on a new song idea for the first time since I left North Carolina when Bella walked into my room.

"I'm going to hang with Jacob. Tell Dad if he asks," she spoke quickly and left before I could question her. I glared daggers at the empty doorway and grabbed my guitar from the foot of the bed.

"I'm going to go hang with Jacob!" I mocked under my breath in my interpretation of Bella's voice. "I'm pretty and I get every guy I want and I like to flaunt it in everyone's face!" I began picking at the guitar strings. "Look at me! I'm Miss Perfect!"

"Geeze, you even sound like Bella."

I squeaked and spun around to find where the deep voice had come from. Embry sat on the tree branch outside my open window, grinning at me as if this were an everyday occurrence.

"I take offense to that," I muttered.

He laughed and crawled into my room through the window. He was only wearing cut off jeans and it briefly reminded me of the day I saw him walking on the side of the road when Jacob and Bella wanted to ride the bikes.

That seemed like years ago.

"What are you doing here?" I asked at the same time Embry asked, "What's with all the paper?"

We both chuckled and I blushed and shrugged. "I was trying to write something." I flicked one of the pieces of crumpled paper.

Embry sat across from me on the bed and crossed his legs to mimic me. "It's my turn to patrol the house for the next few hours and I saw Bella leave, so I figured you could use some company."

I frowned and strummed the guitar strings lightly. "Even when she's here, I could still use some company."

"Are you guys fighting or something?"

I shook my head and chewed on my lower lip. "Not really. She's just…I don't know." I shrugged. "She's just trying to get back at me for something, I guess. I'm not sure what I did, though. I don't know." I sighed. "It's just weird. She's weird."

Embry nodded and picked up my notebook to read the final lyrics. "Don't worry about her. She's just jelly of your awesomeness," he murmured as he read the words. His face fell as he reached the end and I watched him carefully, worried about his reaction. It had been a while since I wrote anything, so I was scared that I had lost my touch.

Embry's eyes found mine when he finished and the emotions swarming in them were overwhelming. We stared at each other for a long period of time before I blinked and he cleared his throat. He sent me a crooked smile and handed me the notebook. "You've got talent, Nori. Those lyrics are perfect."

I smiled shyly. "Psh, naw. They're just random words I came up with."

Embry rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Now are you going to serenade me or do I need to take that guitar and show you how a real musician uses it?" he teased, knowing that I would play just because his version of playing the guitar was nothing more than violently strumming the strings without any idea of correct chords or strum patterns.

But that was something I loved about Embry. He could lay and listen to me play the guitar, piano, violin, or just sing to my heart's content for hours without complaining. He claimed to enjoy the "talent" I supposedly had. I just thought he was an amazing friend for putting up with my passions.

I grinned and began to play.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Embry stayed until his shift ended, which happened to be at the same time that Dad pulled up into the drive. I hugged my best friend quickly before he kissed my temple and leaped out of the window like Tarzan. I watched him from my window as he ran towards the woods, but before he reached the tree line, he turned and blew me a kiss with a cheeky grin. I caught it and pretended to throw it back.

"Nori!"

I closed my window and bounded down the stairs to see Dad putting his gun away in the closet.

"What's up?" I asked.

Dad grinned at me and I wondered what he had up his sleeve. He was obviously overly excited over something - the question was, what?

"Go get ready. We're meeting Billy and Jacob at the diner in twenty minutes." He clasped his hands together and moved past me with a pat on the shoulder to the living room. "Go, go!" he urged.

I blinked. "Uh, what about B-Bella?" I had to choke the name out of my mouth because it left such a horrid after taste. The thought of dinner with Bella and Jacob fawning over each other made me sick to my stomach, and I had a feeling that the reason Dad was so excited was because he was matchmaking. He had shipped Bella and Jacob since the beginning, and Billy used to joke about how they were practically father-in-laws.

Just as I knew it, Dad's grin grew wider. "She's meeting us there. Jacob already called her." He plopped down on the sofa and turned on the game while I silenced my groan and slowly stalked back up the stairs.

Since I had twenty whole minutes, I was going to take advantage of that time and look as nice as I could. There was a cute guy who worked at the diner a year ago before I left - I wondered if he was still there. The Clearwaters owned the place, and I was sure they would never fire anyone unless they absolutely sucked at their jobs. That boy was cute and a wonderful waiter. I think his name was Donovan.

I quickly dressed in high-waisted black skinny jeans and a long sleeved black and white striped shirt tucked in with the ends of my jeans stuffed smoothly inside my combat boots. I straightened my layered hair and spent at least seven minutes trying to get every piece perfectly straightened before I finally huffed and gave up, nearly slinging the straightener across the bathroom in frustration. I decided to turn my attention to my makeup, and instead of caking it on like most girls did, I chose to go with my usual light amount of foundation and winged eyeliner across the top lids, coating my lashes in mascara and adding a dab of red to my pale lips. I filled in my brows lightly so that they would have a slightly more pronounced arch and leaned back to take in my reflection in the mirror.

"Welp," I muttered to myself, noticing my lack of a thigh gap and how my frizzy hair was starting to curl lightly with every second I was away from the straightener. "This is as good as it's going to get." I grabbed my thin cross body bag from behind the bedroom door and checked the time.

I had two minutes left to spare.

Grinning in pride at my quick ready skills, I returned to the living room. As soon as I hit the bottom step, Dad's eyes found me and he quirked a brow.

"Well, don't you look pretty," he said as he stood and walked towards me. He eyed me up and down and fake scowled. "I don't remember giving you permission to grow up so fast."

I snorted and rolled my eyes, shoving his shoulder playfully as I walked towards the door. "Yeah, yeah. I don't remember giving you permission to pick on me, old man," I turned around and said before sticking my tongue out. Dad laughed and followed after me.

We shrugged our coats on and headed out the door.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The diner was packed when we arrived, but that was nothing new. It was a Saturday night and everyone in Forks was there, practically. I felt so bad for Sue and Harry - their hands must be full with running this popular restaurant in Forks and their smaller one on the reservation. Then again, the whole family practically worked at the diner on the rez. The one in Forks usually hired high school kids to work part time. It was a great setup, really.

Dad held the door open for me as we entered the establishment, and we were immediately waved down by Bella. She was sitting at a table at the far end of the room, diagonal from Billy and next to Jacob. I met Jacob's eyes as we walked over and he grimaced and looked at his and Bella's conjoined hands on the table. The stinging sensation activated in my chest again and I scratched at the surface as I took the seat next to Billy and across from Jacob. Dad sat at the end, between Bella and Billy.

"It's about time you got here. We thought you two had forgotten about us," Billy said with a smile before wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "I'm glad my favorite girl could make it, though." His crinkled brown eyes looked down at me and I couldn't help but grin back. Billy was like an uncle to me and he had been there for just as many moments in my life as Dad had.

"I couldn't leave my favorite guy hangin'," I responded, patting his hand on my shoulder and winking at him. He chuckled and removed his arm, patting my shoulder closest to him before jumping into conversation with Dad about the next hunting season.

Bella giggled lightly at something Jacob whispered to her and I focused on refraining from throwing my knife at his face. He was such a jerk, throwing horrid words at me then pretending to be my friend and then flaunting his relationship with my sister in my face.

But why did I care?

I don't, I tried to tell myself.

Liar, my conscience mocked me.

I didn't understand my new outlook on things. I had always supported Jacob's infatuation with Bella.

"How are you guys doing this evening?" a young waiter asked as he came to the head of the table between Bella and me. "I'm Donovan and I'll be your server this evening. Can I start you all off with some drinks?"

He glanced around and as soon as his eyes came to me, he blinked and grinned widely. I grinned back, excited that the cute guy still worked here. He had actually gotten cuter over the past year - instead of being a scrawny boy, he has bulked up slightly and his short blonde hair was now long and wavy, coming nearly to his shoulders. He had bright blue eyes that were friendly and he was tan - though I don't know how that was possible, since the sun rarely ever shined around here. He had grown a little taller as well, but nothing like Jacob had.

Jacob.

God, I needed to stop thinking about that idiot. I chanced a glance across the table at him and noticed him glaring daggers at Donovan. I smirked.

"I'll have whatever you suggest," I told him, trying to copy any flirting styles I had seen in the movies. I had never really flirted with anyone before so I was pretty sure I sucked at it.

It must have worked, though, because Donovan beamed down at me and suggested the strawberry lemonade. I nodded at that choice and he winked and promised to have it out before I could miss him too much.

Billy coughed next to me at that, and I blushed as I remembered that both he and my father were there listening to this conversation between me and the waiter.

Donovan got the rest of the table's drinks and hurried off with one last smile towards me. I watched him dreamily as he walked through the kitchen doors to the back before Billy cleared his throat loudly.

"Nori, you wouldn't happen to have a crush on that boy, would you?"

I bit my lip and glanced at him to see if he was annoyed with me. Surprisingly, I found him grinning smugly and shooting a glance across the table. I blushed again and forced a chuckle.

"Psh, what? Of course not. He's just really cute." Dad rolled his eyes dramatically and I pointed to him down the table. "Hey, you can't say a word! I saw how you looked at that older waitress the last time we were here, mister."

Dad grumbled something under his breath, but once Billy mumbled something to him, they both burst into laughter. I rolled my eyes at the old men and turned my attention to Bella. She was staring at Jacob's hand in hers, and the look on her face was far from pleased.

"So, Bells," I began, my eyes on their hands as well before they flickered up to Bella's face. She met my eyes and winced. I wondered why.

My phone buzzed and I flipped it open to see that Embry was calling me. I ignored the call and focused back on my sister.

"Bella, have you heard from that Newton guy lately?" Dad asked, interrupting what I was about to say. To be honest, I had no idea what to say to my sister. It seemed like every time I was in the presence of Jacob, my mind was clouded with thoughts involving him. It drove me mad. "I saw his dad the other day and he said something about giving you a job at their hiking store."

I flinched at the mention of the Newton family and began picking at my fingers as I tried my best to block them out.

"Yeah, but I'm not sure if I want to. Maybe Nori-"

"No," I snapped loudly, much to everyone's surprise. There was no way in hell I was working for them. If anything, I wanted to forget about Mike Newton's existence and live life normally.

"Well, Nori, you should think about it. When I was your age, I had a part time job working down at the marina," Dad said as he rested his forearms on the table side by side.

I shook my head. "I'll work anywhere else, but not there."

Of all the people in the restaurant, the last person I expected came to my rescue.

"Your drink, pretty lady," Donovan smirked as he placed the pink drink in front of me. I silently praised God that he had arrived when he did and sent him the biggest grin I could muster. He was seriously a life saver.

"Why thank you," I murmured, still grinning as I gazed up into his blue eyes. He winked and continued passing out the drinks before he asked if we were ready to order.

I opened my mouth to order when someone spoke over me. "She'll have the turkey burger with just ketchup, geeze. Dad, order."

I stared wide eyed at Jacob and his rude behavior, but I couldn't help but feel a little elated that he knew what I wanted to order. I pressed my lips together in a thin line as Billy ordered and focused on not fussing at Jacob for being such a jerk to Donovan.

Donovan left to put our orders in, but not before he smiled at me, and I sent a smug smirk to Jacob. He rolled his eyes and brought Bella's hand up to his mouth for a kiss. She bit her lip and stared at him while I sat by holding back the urge to puke.

I noticed Dad grin at the happy couple, but Billy seemed to be rather annoyed. Was he angry with Jacob for his manners or was it because Jacob and my sister were together? Wasn't this what he and Dad always wanted?

"So, Nori, if you don't have a crush on that waiter boy, then who are you crushing on?" Billy asked, breaking the silence and tearing everyone's attention away from Jacob and Bella. I could tell that that was his goal.

The first face that popped into my mind was a complete wrong answer, so I went with the one person who I had crushed on since the beginning. A smile formed on my face as I took a sip of my sweet drink and murmured, "Well, if you really want to know…" I cleared my throat and glanced over at Jacob, who seemed to be sweating bullets as he waited for my reply. Bella's eyes were honed in on me in fear and Dad was staring at my curiously. Billy was simply sending me a knowing look that confused me.

"It's Embry."

Everyone's faces changed dramatically. Bella's fell to relief while Jacob's twisted into irritation. Dad's nose scrunched up before he chuckled and muttered, "I always figured it would be him," and Billy stared at me in shock before glancing at Jacob and then taking a long swig of his beer.

"Didn't expect that," he grumbled, confusing me even more.

It was silent for a moment before Dad and Billy began conversing about the latest game. Jacob was chewing on his lower lip, staring intensely at the table while Bella was tapping her fingers absentmindedly and staring off into space. I suddenly felt uncomfortable around them and wished I had lied over my crush so things wouldn't be so awkward.

My eyes caught Donovan's as he exited the kitchen and headed for another table. He grinned and I waved my fingers.

Someone kicked me under the table.

I jerked my leg back and whipped my head around. "What the-"

Bella was still staring off into space and the fathers were talking, so it left only one culprit - the boy who was glaring at me.

"What was that for?" I complained as I leaned down and rubbed my shin. Jacob's kick must have been fueled by quite a bit of annoyance.

"If you don't stop flirting with this guy, I'll tell Embry," he threatened lowly so nobody else would hear. I rolled my eyes at his stupid warning.

"Go ahead," I goaded. "I'll just tell Bella what you said to me at Emily's."

I smirked in satisfaction as Jacob blanched, knowing that Bella would be angry over his harsh words, even if my sister wasn't overly close to me. He should know by now not to mess with me - my bite was worse than my bark.

I laughed to myself as I realized how well that could apply to my wolf friends as well.

Dinner continued rather smoothly, only deterring with Jacob shooting glares at poor Donovan every time he returned to fill our glasses and Billy's constant glances in my direction that I couldn't decipher.

Dad asked for the check after what seemed like an eternity of him fan-girling over Jacob and Bella's relationship or whatever it was. When Donovan brought the receipt back in the little black book, he laid it right in front of me instead of my father and grinned when I looked up at him.

"Call me if you're free Saturday," he murmured lowly so the whole table wouldn't hear clearly before winking and walking back into the kitchen. I stared after him in shock until my father cleared his throat and asked me to grab the receipt so we could go. I opened the little book and blushed furiously when I saw the seven digits scrawled out across the receipt, along with a short message from the waiter.

You're absolutely adorable and I would love to take you out. :)

"Are you really going to date a waiter?" Jacob asked loudly, so half of the tables around us could hear.

I rolled my eyes at him and stood to follow my father out as he pushed Billy's wheelchair. Bella was clinging to Jacob's arm as they stood as well.

"It's really none of your business who I date, so butt out." I folded the piece of paper and stuffed it into my pocket as Bella stared at me with a strange look on her face.

I was already pissed off at Jacob for his confusing behavior, so I couldn't stop myself from snapping, "What?" in her direction.

She averted her eyes and shook her head. "Nothing," she mumbled as we walked through the doors of the restaurant. She stayed by Jacob's side as he led her to her truck while I hurried over to the police cruiser, and I turned to look over my shoulder just in time to see Jacob lean down and kiss Bella's cheek with a light blush on his face.

Bella didn't even smile at him before she climbed into her truck and backed out of the parking lot.

Any other day, I would have laughed at Jacob's downfallen expression, but even after the way Jacob had treated me and confused me, I couldn't help but feel bad for him. Bella was so wishy washy - hell, they made a good pair with how confusing they were with their behaviors.

I fought the urge to run over and hug him, choosing instead to sit down and shut the car door.

Flipping my phone open as Dad pulled out onto the road, I checked the single voicemail I had from Embry.

 _"Nori, why you no answer yo phone, girl? Just kidding. I hope everything's okay. Anyway, Sam cleared Quil for being around people and the poor bastard just misses you so much-"_

 _"Shut up! Liar!"_

 _"Okay, okay. Maybe I'm the one that misses you the most, but the point is that you should come down to the rez tomorrow and hang out with us because you're missed and I know you're probably stressed to the max with all of this supernatural stuff that's happened. Plus, I kind of bragged about your new song to the guys and they totally want to hear it….oops._

 _But yeah, please come. If you don't, then I'll just climb through your window again and kidnap you. Okay? Okay._

 _Love you, Nor. Bye."_


	17. I: Fifteen

"Come on, _Lenora._ You know you want to."

Quil's mocking grin made me want to throw one of the sandwiches Emily had so kindly made for the pack, but instead I shoved him lightly and rolled my eyes.

"Shut up," I grumbled. "You are such a bad influence, weirdo."

Quil laughed and lifted me off of the ground, throwing me over his shoulder as he ran out into the pouring rain. I screamed in laughter as the sky water immediately drenched me.

I couldn't believe Quil actually wanted to run around and dance in the stupid rain. It wasn't like we were dying of boredom - I had let him kick my butt in Halo a few times and we were waiting for Embry to get off of patrol so that we could all go to Port Angeles and celebrate Quil's first outing since the "change."

"Put me down, you animal!" I squealed as I hit Quil's back. He spun us around in circles and I could feel the sandwich I had just eaten coming back up as Quil chortled loudly and the rain continued to cover us.

"Quil!" I choked out as the nausea hit me full on. I hated spinning in circles because I was one of those people who always got super nauseous and usually ended up puking everywhere. That was why I had always avoided these circumstances and tilt-a-whirls at the fair.

Quil just laughed louder, probably waiting for me to hurl all over Emily's freshly mowed lawn.

"Quil, she's about to pass out," I heard Jared say. He and Embry must have come out of the woods after their patrol. I squeezed my eyes shut and focused on breathing, but the spinning motion in the dark only made me sicker.

"Q-Quil," I begged, swallowing down the bile in my throat.

"Quil!" Embry snapped.

"QUIL!" Jared, Embry, and I yelled in unison. Quil stopped immediately and put me down, which led to me stumbling and falling over. Embry moved to my side at wolf speed and caught me in his arms as I gagged and breathed deeply.

"I freaking hate you, you dirty mongrel," I grumbled, shooting daggers at the laughing werewolf.

Embry and Jared laughed at my insult before Embry laid an arm over my shoulder and held me upright, helping me back up the steps into the house. We were all drenched, though Jared, Quil, and Embry were only in cut offs.

"I'm going to die of pneumonia now. Thanks, Quil," I said sarcastically as I stripped off my dripping sweater and sopping shoes and socks. Quil laughed for a millionth time and I chucked my shoe at him, hitting him square in the back of the head. He yelped and Embry laughed.

Emily gasped as she took in the sight of us in her kitchen. "What happened?" she asked, but then thought better of it and shook her head. "Never mind. Nori, why don't you come upstairs and we'll dry your clothes before you go home."

"Aw, man, Quil! Now we can't go to Port Angeles," I sighed as I left Embry's side to follow Emily, pouting at Quil as I passed him and earning puppy dog eyes in return. I poked his belly in annoyance.

"I've got a pair of Nori's jeans in my truck," Embry piped up, and we all stared at him in shock. What the heck? When had I given Embry my clothes? And judging from the looks on every else's faces, I was sure that they thought my clothes were there for an entirely different reason - one that was certainly _not_ true.

"Stop thinking that," he snapped at Jared and Quil with a scowl. "They're from the last summer Nori was here and we all went swimming. I found them when I was cleaning out under the back seats," Embry shrugged and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Uh, my Mom washed them and I meant to give them back the other day when I climbed into her room-"

"You climbed into her room?" Emily interrupted, her eyes flitting between Embry and me.

"Whoah, man. We don't need the details," Jared joked, waving Embry off so he'd stop explaining.

Embry huffed in annoyance at his friends and I just laughed and hugged him. "Do you love me enough to brave the rain and return them to me without getting them wet?" I asked with a giggle as Emily grabbed plates and began handing out food to Jared behind us, with Quil stealing another sandwich and earning a slap on the wrist with a wooden spoon by the den mother herself.

Embry chuckled and nodded. "Only if you make those dirty-minded friends of yours understand that I really didn't mean for that explanation to sound so bad."

I laughed with him before he headed out the front door and out to his truck that was parked in the yard. He had driven over here so that he could drive the three of us to Port Angeles, since neither Quil nor I had cars.

Thank God he did, or I'd be stuck naked in a towel while my clothes dried in a house that would be full of werewolves later on.

"So, you and Embry, huh?" Jared commented as I sat next to him at the table and waited for Embry to return with my jeans.

I willed my cheeks not to blush as I rolled my eyes and shoved Jared's shoulder. "Shut up. It's not what you think."

Jared just "Mm-hm"'ed with Quil and shook his head with a chuckle as the two stuffed their faces. These guys were always eating, it seemed like. I couldn't understand how their stomachs could handle so much food.

The front door opened just as Sam and Jacob walked in through the back door. "I found your pants, Nor," Embry said as he jogged back into the kitchen, holding up the skinny jeans that I had been missing for a year now.

"What the hell?"

I whipped my head around to see Jacob shaking slightly as he questioningly glared at Embry.

"Your girl and Embry have been getting it on in that truck, apparently," Jared muttered with a smirk and a sly glance in my direction. I flipped him off underneath the table before my annoyed expression dropped to confusion at the term 'your girl.'

"Jacob, outside," Sam commanded as he shoved the shaking boy through the door and sent an apologetic look towards Emily. "Jared, you're taking Jacob's shift with Paul. Go."

Jared grumbled curses under his breath while I smirked widely at him, causing him to scowl as he left the house. He deserved it for pissing Jacob off - though, I couldn't understand why Jacob would even be upset in the first place. Nothing was making sense anymore.

Then again, when you're surrounded by the supernatural, what's supposed to make sense?

"Nori, why don't you go change before you catch a cold," Emily suggested, but with the way her eyes kept darting towards the door, I knew she half expected Jacob to come flying back inside to tackle Embry or curse me out. The boy was crazy bipolar, in my opinion.

I snatched the jeans from Embry's smug grasp and skipped up the stairs.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Two hours later and dressed in the missing skinny jeans, Emily's high school converse from the back of her closet, and one of Embry's t-shirts he kept stocked at Sam's, I found myself being tugged towards the small movie theater behind a laughing Embry and a childish Quil, who had just been cussed out for catcalling at a group of teenage girls. I briefly wondered why in the world I considered him one of my friends, but when he poured half of his M&Ms into my bucket of popcorn since I didn't have enough money for them, I remembered that he was a pretty good guy underneath all of the crude humor.

"Nor, I could have bought you your own M&Ms," Embry grumbled as he placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me down the theater hallway. Quil was to my left.

"You'll need that money to pay for a proctologist, 'cause when Jake sees her in your shirt, he'll beat the crap out of you," Quil chortled.

Any other day, I would have commented on Quil's use of big words, but today I cocked a brow up at him before looking over at Embry and finally spoke the question that had plagued my mind for the longest time now. "Why would Jacob even care?"

Embry paled and exchanged a glance with Quil before the latter of the two shrugged nonchalantly and opened the door to Theater 2 for me to enter first. Embry followed in behind me as Quil responded, "He's Jacob. Who knows."

I shook my head and pushed Embry's arm away from me as he tried to lay it over my shoulders. He blinked down at me in hurt as I huffed and stopped in the middle of the lighted ramp that led up towards the first floor of seats. The black walls on either side of the group made our conversation even more private.

"Seriously, is it a," I glanced around to make sure nobody was within earshot and whispered, " _wolf_ thing? He never gave a crap about me before he become one."

I scanned Embry and Quil's expressions as they avoided my eyes, obviously trying to figure a way out of this situation. I had caught them off guard and they were hiding something - something big involving me, obviously.

I wanted to know what it was before I died of curiosity.

A teenage couple walked in through the doors and paused when they saw us standing in the middle of the walkway. Embry cleared his throat and placed his hand on my back quickly as he guided me up the ramp and steps to the back of the theater, where the three of us took the middle seats since the entire row was empty. There were only a handful of other people here for the movie, and they were all at least three rows down from us.

I knew Embry had chosen this seat so nobody would hear my questions. Plus, the view was the best in the house from up here.

"Guys, please tell me what is going on," I murmured as I looked to Embry and Quil, who were on either side of me. Embry sighed and leaned forward slightly, rubbing the back of his neck - a nervous habit of his - while Quil shoveled popcorn and chocolate into his mouth at a fast rate.

"Please," I whispered as tears pricked at my eyes. I was getting way too emotional over this, but I couldn't help it. "I'm just so tired and stressed and confused and I just want to know the truth so I can better understand these weird feelings I have before I go cra-"

"Nori, stop," Quil interrupted. My mouth clamped shut in shock at the command, because Quil was rarely ever serious. I briefly remembered the night he phased and how serious he was then, but brushed off those horrific memories as I reminded myself that he was in full control.

"If we could tell you, we would. I swear it, Nori. We would tell you everything because none of us want to see you so upset. I mean, hell, you _never_ cry and look at you right now," Quil exclaimed, motioning towards me. I laughed through the tears and stuck my tongue out at him before glancing over at Embry, who was smiling sympathetically at me and nodding. He reached out and took my hand in his, squeezing lightly for comfort.

"But _why_ can't you tell me?" I whined pathetically as the lights dimmed and the previews began.

Quil patted my arm as Embry squeezed my hand again in sync, and I almost laughed at them. "We're bound by tribal law." Quil explained sadly. "We can't tell anyone but families and our own imp-" He stopped mid sentence, as if choking on something. I grabbed his arm in alarm as he coughed and cleared his throat.

"We literally can't tell you. But, you know who can? Someone who isn't a wolf, but who knows all of the secrets," Embry said. "Someone like Emily," he mumbled as if I wasn't supposed to hear, but he spoke loud enough so I would.

Quil's arm shot out behind me as he smacked Embry on the back of the head. "Dude, you know Sam is gonna give you extra patrol shifts for that. She isn't supposed to know yet."

Embry flipped him off as the movie began, and I chose to keep my mouth shut and not put my friends at risk anymore than I already had. With Embry's hints and the partial word I had from Quil before he choked, I knew enough to approach Emily and learn the truth. If she wouldn't tell me, I'd go to Billy, maybe Harry, or even Sam or Jacob himself before I quit. I wanted - no, needed - to know why I was so strangely attached to a guy I had never thought twice about before. A guy who loved my _sister_ for Christ's sake.

I couldn't even focus on the movie that I had been dying to see before. If my friends noticed my lack of enthusiasm as they laughed at the comedy, they didn't say anything.

I couldn't even plot what I wanted to say to Emily in my head.

Because all I could think about was the bizarre fact that the hand holding mine felt wrong.


	18. I: Sixteen

**Hey, hey! I just want to thank all of my reviewers for the feedback! You guys seriously make my day. :D And we've reached 75 reviews! I'm so proud.**

 **Anyway, here's an update, as promised. Trigger Warning: there is a bit of gore near the end of this chapter. Please prepare.**

 **Oh, and I don't own any of Stephenie Meyer's work. Blah, blah, blah.**

* * *

"I got the job at the Newton's store," Bella announced to Dad during a commercial. It was a Saturday and Dad had invited Billy and Harry over to watch the game with us. Seth had come along and was currently in a staring contest with me on the couch. Jacob had to "work," which I knew was code for patrol.

I blinked, effortlessly ruining the game with Seth as he whooped in victory and spun my head around to look at Bella with wide eyes as her words rang through my head.

 _Job at Newton's store. Newton's store. Newton._ Mike Newton _._

I wanted to knock some sense into her. She had no idea what she was getting into.

"That's great, Bells. When do you start?" Dad asked before taking a swig of beer from the bottle in his hand. It was practically required that all the men drank beer during the games. As a kid, I used to sneak sips from the abandoned bottles on the coffee table with Embry and Quil when the men were standing and cheering until Seth ratted us out to his dad. The scoldings and spankings we all got after that ensured that we would never touch the stuff again.

"Monday."

"Don't you usually hang out with Jacob on Mondays?" I asked quickly, my voice higher in pitch than usual as I tried desperately to make up some excuse as to why she couldn't work there.

Bella just looked at me weirdly - something she seemed to do a lot nowadays. It was like she constantly had something on the tip of her tongue to tell me, but her face would scrunch up as she spoke so I knew she wasn't speaking her mind.

"Jacob will probably come keep me company," she reasoned. "Or I'll go to the reservation after work."

"So, when are the wedding bells, Bells?" Seth joked. "You know, since you and Jake spend so much time together. You're practically a married couple." I flinched throughout his joke while Dad and Seth laughed.

Harry and Billy exchanged a silent glance before Billy sent me a hard look that caused me to avert my eyes awkwardly as I tried to understand what in the world he was trying to convey to me. He was nearly as confusing as his son.

Suddenly, I didn't care anymore if Bella worked for the Newton's. She could be sucked in by Mike Newton and have her worst nightmares come to life if she wanted. I had no more cares to give - they had been drained from me after everything.

Bella just blushed and played with a small hole on the left thigh of her jeans.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Sam and Emily's house had always seemed like a little piece of heaven in hell on earth. The pale yellow was calming and with the brightly colored flowers in the white flower boxes and the rocking chairs on the front porch, I always felt immediately at peace.

But today, not even the peace of house could calm my nerves.

I had come here on a mission: I needed to know what the heck was going on, and by God, I wasn't going to leave without an explanation or at least enough information to put my mind at ease.

Charlie had dropped me off after I made up some excuse about Emily dying to teach me how to cook. The way to my father was through his stomach.

I took a deep breath before climbing the porch steps - the same steps I had sat on with Jacob just a few weeks ago and had a civil conversation - and knocked lightly on the door. I had never knocked on this door. I was used to just walking in like it was home away from home.

For some reason, though, I felt like an outsider today. I thought I had known all of the secrets, but something was still hidden from me. Until I knew what everyone else knew, I wasn't one of them.

The door opened and Emily stood there in confusion. "Nori..?"

I forced a small smile, but it probably looked more like a grimace. "Hello, Emily. We need to talk."

Emily's eyes widened and she visible tensed at the sound of my proper greeting, which was much different than my usual sarcastic humorous greetings. I didn't feel like Nori Swan today. It was as if I were having an out of body experience - like nothing that was happening was really happening. I was stressed and confused to the point of being stuck in a stupor.

"Um, o-okay. Come into the, uh, kitchen," Emily stammered as she stepped back and let me pass. I could feel her wary eyes on me as she closed the door and followed behind me into the kitchen. I sat at the table in the exact same spot as I had the day Bella and I came after Paul and Jacob fought.

It seemed like a thousand years ago.

"Would you like a cookie?" Emily offered as she held up a mountainous plate of cookies from the counter. I shooked my head and clasped my hands together on the table, allowing my forearms to take on the weight of my upper body as I leaned forward and stared downwards, contemplating how I should begin.

Emily must have sensed how serious I was, because she took the seat across from me slowly and stared at me as if waiting for me to burst into a wolf. No, I'd leave that to the wolf boys who were nowhere in sight. My unstable emotions and the anger fighting the exhaustion in my muscles left me feeling like how the boys described their first phases. Of course, I knew that wasn't the case.

"Nori, you're scaring me," Emily whispered as she reached forward and covered my clasped hands with one of hers. It was then that I noticed how white my knuckles were and I realized that I had no control over anything involving my own body anymore. I wasn't even Nori anymore. I was turning into my sister, only instead of being a zombie and bottling in how I felt, I was an emotional pre-teen on my period 24/7.

"I'm scared of myself," I admitted quietly, my eyes moving up to meet Emily's. She continued looking at me in confusion, as if to tell me that she needed more of an answer than that. We all needed answers, apparently.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly before saying in a clear, strong voice, "I need the truth. Either from you or Jacob, but we all know he won't tell me. I just need to know what in the world is going on."

Emily's hand left mine and she began picking at her nails nervously on the table top as she avoided my eyes. "What do you mean? You know their secret..." she trailed off, motioning with her hand towards the forest outside the kitchen window.

I shook my head. "There's something else, and it's driving me _crazy_! Embry and Quil can't tell me because they're bound by some law."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Emily muttered quickly in a monotone, as if it was an automatic response. It was the exact response I was hoping to avoid.

I snapped.

"Dammit, Emily!" My hands slammed against the table top as I stood up abruptly, my chair falling to the floor behind me as Emily jumped and stared at me in fear. My breathing was coming in heavy bursts and I could feel tears pricking my eyes as my face reddened in anger. "You _know_ what I'm talking about! You _know_ why I'm turning into this depressed freak of a human who can't think straight because some weird shit is screwing with my head constantly and driving me insane!" I screamed as my hands gripped the table's edge. Emily was still staring at me, but instead of fear, her face showed remorse and sympathy.

"I am _sick_ and _fucking tired_ of being so angry all of the time!" I exclaimed, running my hands through my messy hair that fell in unnattractively frizzy waves just passed my shoulders. "And if I'm not angry, I'm crying!" As if on cue, tears began falling down my cheeks. "See?!" I yelled, pointing to my face before wiping my cheeks violently.

Emily stared up at me, tears in her own eyes, as I continued to rant and scream. "I can't control myself anymore, Emily! I'm literally going crazy and I have no idea why! I just know that freaking Jacob Black is on my mind constantly and it is the most painful, infuriating, confusing, emotional rollercoaster I have ever been on." I whimpered as the stinging in my chest turning to a fierce burning as I rubbed harshly over my white t-shirt.

"Nori, I can't!" Emily cried as she, too, stood from the table, her face twisted in pain. "I may not be bound by law, but I am bound by trust with my imp-...my soulmate!" I didn't miss the near slip of this sacred word that everyone seemed to be scared to say around me.

This only sent me over the edge as I screamed, "Emily, _please_!" Tears poured from my eyes as my emotions bubbled over in every direction, leaving me wondering what the hell was wrong with me.

Emily bit her lip with tears in her own eyes before opening her mouth, but instead of giving me the truth or speaking words of empathy, her eyes fell to where my hand was clawing at the center of my chest. Her eyes widened and she sucked in a sharp breath before crying out, "Nori! What have you done?"

I froze, confused even more, before glancing down at my chest where her eyes were zeroed in on. I could vaguely feel a throbbing pain on the surface, but it didn't outweigh the stinging sensation internally. What threw me off, though, was that the portion of shirt that my hand was currently clamped onto had been a pristine white just moments ago.

Now, it was stained with blood.


	19. I: Seventeen

**I noticed that with the previous chapter, I received a lot of mixed reviews. Some people thought it was a dumb way for Nori to react and whatnot. I hope this chapter clears up those thoughts, but if not, please tell me! I'll explain to the best of my ability.**

 **As always, shout out to all of you reviewers. You guys are amazing and I look forward to reading your comments. You all give me motivation to keep writing!**

 **So, without further adieu, please enjoy this chapter and give lots of feedback c:**

* * *

I hated hospitals, so the fact that I was sitting on the edge of a bed with a hideous green hospital gown on showed that I was not in control enough to argue with Emily when she dragged me to her car to bring me here. I had been in a state of shock ever since I saw my bloodied shirt and realized that I had caused serious harm to myself over something that wasn't my fault. Or was it? Had I done something to earn the stinging sensations and pain in my chest? I would give anything to hear that it was cancer so I could just start treatment and get it out of me.

"Nori, please say something," Emily murmured from where she sat beside the bed, her hand on my knee. "You've been so quiet."

I sighed and shrugged. "Dunno what to say," I mumbled, keeping my eyes on my fingers as I furiously picked away at them to keep my mind occupied.

"Why would you scratch your chest so much? Dr. Gerandy said that you had to have done it several times with a lot of pressure for it to break the skin like that and bleed so much."

I coughed out a dry, humorless laugh. "Yeah, well I told you I was going crazy, Em. Just add psycho-enough-to-inflict-harm-on-myself to the mix, I guess."

Emily's hand clenched on my knee as she shook it to get my attention. My tired eyes met her fierce brown ones. "Lenora Swan, did you really do this to yourself on purpose?" she demanded.

I bit my lip, debating over whether I should tell her the truth - even though she was still hiding the truth from me. Since I had already spilled half of my feelings in her kitchen, scared her, and caused her to bring me to the hospital so I wouldn't bleed all over her floor, I figured she deserved to know why.

"I've been having these pains in my chest," I said slowly, keeping my eyes down as I lightly rubbed the gauze over my injured skin. "They come up suddenly and they just hurt so much," I whimpered pathetically. "I'll catch myself scratching without thinking about it. It's like a reflex to make the pain go away, but even when it fades, it doesn't go away entirely. I'm still left with the exhaustion, confusion, and just everything that has caused me to turn into this emotional weirdo lately."

I sniffled as tears came to my eyes again. "I am so sick of crying," I said with a watery laugh. "But I just can't control it. I can't control any of it."

"You're right. You can't control it," Emily agreed.

I held my breath, hoping with all of my might that she would crack and just tell me why I was feeling so weird and crazy. She didn't disappoint.

"Did this happen before or after Jacob phased?" Emily asked softly.

I responded immediately. "After."

Emily nodded and took a deep breath before leaning back in her seat and staring at me with a grim smile. "Nori, I can't tell you what's going on," she stated, and my heart fell into the pit of my stomach in disappointment. "But, I love you and I don't ever want to see you wearing one of those ugly green things again," she said, motioning to the gown I was wearing. I snorted.

"Give Jacob some time, honey. He'll tell you when he's ready."

"Why isn't he ready now?" I questioned, kicking my legs in impatience as we waited for the doctor to return and release me.

Emily bit her lip. "He doesn't understand how strong this . . . thing really is. He thinks he can just walk away from it and continue having a relationship with Bella, but it just doesn't work that way." She smiled sadly at me. "Just don't hold this against him, Nori. He's hurting just as much as you are, if not more. I'm sure you'll realize that what's happening isn't really as bad as it may seem right now," she said cryptically. So many questions swarmed through my head, but I knew that she wouldn't answer them. How could this not be that bad? I was sitting in the hospital with gauze all over my chest over something that nobody would explain, for Christ sakes.

Emily leaned forward again and patted my knee comfortingly. "I promise, Nori. Everything is going to be okay."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Everything was not going to be okay.

Dad was pretty pissed that I ended up in the hospital, and after being told that I had done the injuries to myself, Dad nearly lost it. He was so upset; he wouldn't even speak a word to Emily, who tried to tell him that I wasn't as crazy as the doctor made me sound. He just signed the papers, nodded when the secretary said they would send a bill, and walked out of the hospital with Emily and me following a few paces behind.

I was honestly afraid of how my dad would react when we were alone. I had never seen him so upset and closed off from me. Charlie Swan was more than just my father - he was my best friend. Having him be so cold and angry only made me feel more horrible about this whole ordeal.

Emily walked with me to the parking lot, and while my father climbed into the cruiser, I hugged Emily and apologized in her ear for everything.

"Nori, don't. It's not your fault," she murmured, patting my back and kissing my cheek. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you."

I shrugged and leaned back, ready to just go home and crawl into bed. I was really tired after today's events, and the amount of drama that had gone down in the past two hours was well over my limit for a twenty-four hour period.

I slowly got into the car with my dad and waited in silence for the storm to hit. I didn't have to wait long.

"Lenora Renee Swan." He sighed, one hand gripping the steering wheel while the other ran down his face in exasperation before he choked out, "Why?"

I swallowed loudly and picked at my fingers in my lap, wishing I had prepared an excuse beforehand instead of waiting until I was put on the spot. I racked my brain for a believable white lie. "I, um, I think I'm allergic to the washing detergent we use. It makes my skin itch and burn and whatnot..." I willed my cheeks not to redden at my lie and waited for my dad to call me out.

He cleared his throat. "Well, I'll go buy a different brand later on tonight."

It was silent again as he turned onto our street and pulled into the driveway. As soon as the car was parked, I reached for the door handle and began to open the car door. A hand on my knee stopped me.

"Nori," Dad sighed, keeping his eyes down and averted as the tension in the car thickened. "I just, uh-"

He cleared his throat again. "I just want you to know that I, um, well-"

He licked his lips and I knew that he was getting emotional, which was something that made him withdraw into his awkward ways. "I, uh, I love you, kid, and if you ever need to talk or, uh, whatever it is you need..." He nodded as if trailing off explained everything, and in a way, it did. He was offering to be there for me if I ever needed him, and I appreciated that.

A small smile graced my face as I looked at my dad. "Thanks," I murmured. "Now can we order a pizza? All of this emotional bullshit is making me hungry," I joked in an effort to lighten the mood.

We climbed out of the car as my dad laughed at my joke. "Sounds like a plan, but only if you wash that mouth out with soap. I swear, I don't know where you get that language from." He looked slyly at me as we walked up the porch steps.

I shoved his shoulder with my own and stepped through the doorway. "Yeah, yeah. Like father, like daughter, you know?"

I grabbed the phone and began dialing the number of the pizza place as Dad chuckled and hung his coat up.

"Damn right."

-/-/-/-/-/-

*tap*

*tap* *tap*

*tap*

I shot up in bed as if my hair was on fire and quickly glanced around the room. I had finally fallen asleep, only to be awoken by the strange tapping noises. My heart raced in my chest as I tried to think of what could have possibly made those noises, all the while pushing thoughts of blood-crazed vampires out of my head.

*tap*

I squeaked and covered myself with the quilt as I begged my mind to relax. It was just the wind. Maybe the tree branches outside were hitting the side of the house. Perhaps Dad was walking around downstairs. Or somehow, a raccoon made its way into the house and was just innocently trying to find its way back out. No biggie.

The creaking of my window opening slowly made my pulse quicken. Sweat beaded on the back of my neck from my body heat trapped under the thick quilt and the anxiety of who was in my bedroom.

My chest wound burned as a bead of sweat trailed down under the gauze, but I was too preoccupied by the person - or creature - who was making its way towards my bed. I held my breath and listened as the footsteps grew closer.

They knew I was there. I was trapped.

Being the fearless person I was, I decided that if I was going to die, I'd at least have to go out with a bang. I bit my lip and took a deep breath before grabbing the quilt, preparing myself for the attack.

This was it.

I threw the quilt back and screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping that the wolves patrolling in the woods a few hundred yards away would hear me and save Bella and Dad. I just knew a vampire was standing there. And when a hand clamped over my mouth with speed too fast for a human just as the scream began to emit from my throat, I knew that my life was over. I was too late and we were all going to die.

And then I realized that the hand was burning hot.

"Geeze, Nor. Wake the whole neighborhood up, why don't you?" Embry grumbled as he dropped his hand and sat next to me on the bed. He was shirtless, as usual, and dressed in ratty old cut offs. There was dirt all over his feet, but my heart rate was still going crazy and I was too tired to care about the dirt on my floor.

Embry rubbed my shoulders lightly as I took another deep breath in. Then, I whacked him on the chest.

"Hey! What was that for?" he whined, rubbing his chest even though I knew I didn't hurt him.

I rolled my eyes. "That's for making me think a vampire was about to eat me, genius. I almost died of a heart attack."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't be so over dramatic."

I poked Embry's cheek as I stuck my bottom lip out in a pout. He grinned.

"Care to explain why you're in my room again, Call?" I asked as I wrapped the quilt around my shoulders in an effort to stay warm and hide the white patch of gauze on my chest.

Embry's grin fell from his face as he took my hand in his and stared down at our interlocked fingers. "Emily told Sam about what happened yesterday." He squeezed my hand as I swallowed thickly and avoided his eyes.

"Em, I don't – I, I don't know what came over me yesterday," I admitted softly while I played with his fingers. "I feel so horrible about it."

Embry released my hand and my heart dropped to my stomach, even though the stinging sensation in my chest had returned at the feel of the wrong hand in mine. I still couldn't understand it to save my life.

Wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me into his side, Embry kissed the top of my head and murmured, "Nori, it's not your fault." He held me tightly while I breathed in his scent and calmed my racing mind. "You don't deserve any of this. Jacob is an ass for not being honest with you."

I could feel the anger welling up inside of me, but I refused to snap at Embry. If he knew about what happened yesterday, then the entire pack probably knew and I didn't want to be known as the bipolar bitch who couldn't handle her emotions. Paul was enough for the whole reservation.

I bit my tongue and shrugged in his embrace.

It was silent for a moment as Embry stroked my arm and I kept my face buried in his shoulder. He kissed my hair again before clearing his throat lightly.

"Can I ask you something?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice as I willed the anger from minutes before away.

Embry absentmindedly kept stroking my arm as he spoke. "About what Jacob heard at the diner a few weeks back..." He spoke quickly, as if he knew that if he didn't speak now, he'd never gain the courage again. "Was it true? I mean, if none of this stuff with him was happening, would you choose someone else?" It took me a second after he finished to fully understand what he had asked.

I bit my lip and took a deep breath. I knew that I had had a crush on Embry for a while, but I wasn't sure if I wanted him to know about that just yet – especially with the way I was hung up on Jacob nowadays. It wasn't fair at all to my best friend.

But, I couldn't just lie to him.

"Yeah, I would've," I admitted truthfully as I gently placed my hand on his stomach, hoping he'd understand me without me having to outright spell his name out for him.

Embry squeezed me a little tighter as we sat in silence for another moment.

"Hey, Nor?"

I leaned back a little so that I could look up into Embry's eyes. He was smiling softly down at me, and for a moment, I felt nothing but the butterflies that Embry had always given me before the Jacob situation.

"Yeah?" I whispered.

"I would've chosen you, too."


	20. I: Eighteen

**IT'S MY BIRTHDAY AND I'M BLESSING YOU ALL WITH AN UPDATE :D Guys, I'm 21 today. I feel** **extremely old.**

 **If you read this, leave a happy birthday comment and I'll love you forever!**

* * *

Two months after the wolves destroyed Laurent, Harry Clearwater died.

I was in the grocery store when Dad called to give me the news. A knot formed in my throat and images of Harry helplessly falling to the floor from a heart attack filled my mind, but the realization that he was truly gone wouldn't hit. I kept telling myself that it was okay, that it would all be fine and Harry would appear at the house with Seth to watch a sports game.

Repressing reality must have run in my family.

"Honey, are you feeling all right?" an elderly woman on the same aisle as me asked. She held a basket full of crackers and soup cans on her frail arm.

I could feel myself nod and hear my voice say, "I'm fine, thanks," but it was as if I was having an out of body experience. This seemed to happen to me quite a bit since the wolves appeared.

Dad was more reserved than usual when I got home. Harry had been one of his best friends, and even with how broken I felt inside at the loss, I couldn't imagine how my father felt. I tried to think of how it would affect me to lose Embry or Quil and I couldn't even envision that kind of pain.

"Nori, we have a visitor," he mumbled as I walked into the kitchen, groceries in tow. He was sitting at the table, nursing a cup of coffee and rubbing a hand through his short hair every now and then. He was obviously exhausted after spending the night in the hospital with the Elders and Sue.

I couldn't help but wonder where Seth and Leah were.

"Is it someone from the rez?" I asked as I put the milk in the refrigerator.

Dad grumbled something low under his breath, causing me to glance over my shoulder at him in confusion. He shook his head and took a sip of coffee. "No, your sister's _friend_ showed up." The way he said 'friend' made my stomach clench. I didn't need to ask to know that it was one of _them_.

A Cullen had come back for her.

I willed my breathing to stay normal as I emptied the last few bags.

"Is it…?" I asked quietly, afraid that the vampire would hear me referring to Edward. I knew from the stories that these vampires were not human-drinkers, but the fact that a supernatural creature that could easily kill us was possibly under the same roof as my family only sent my heart rate into a frenzy.

Dad shook his head and grumbled a curse towards the undead boy under his breath before clearing his throat and motioned towards the living room with his head. "No, but they're talking about Edward, or girl stuff. I don't know." He stood and walked around the table to pour the last bit of coffee down the drain and place the cup in the sink. "I've gotta go help Sue with funeral plans." Dad hugged me and I clung to him for a moment, silently thanking God that I still had him around. He patted my back and released me.

"You should stay with your sister. I don't trust those Cullens." With that, he grabbed his coat off of the back of the kitchen table chair and headed out the door. I heard the cruiser start up and back out of the gravel driveway before I tentatively headed towards the living room.

Everything within me screamed for me to call one of the pack, to run out of this house with Bella and hide until they arrived and saved us like they did with Laurent. I had no idea what I could possibly be walking into and, to be honest, I was scared shitless.

I entered the living room and noticed Bella first. She was smiling, and for the first time since I left North Carolina to come back home, she actually _looked happy_. I wanted to be so glad for her, but the pale, unbreathing creature on the couch next to her only caused me to grimace and clench my hands by my sides.

The creature looked like a tiny teenage girl, with dark hair cut into a pixie style and a bright expression on her stone face. She was grinning at me, but I couldn't even muster up a fake smile in return. I just stared.

"Oh, you must be Lenora! Bella told us she had a sister – we've just never had the chance to meet you!" she said cheerfully as she stood and crossed the room to where I was frozen in place. She held her pale, white hand out for me to shake as she introduced herself. "I'm Alice Cullen."

I glanced down at her outstretched hand as a sudden burst of rage flew through me. "I don't befriend bloodsuckers," I said tautly as I glared at the small woman in front of me. Even though I was taller than her by a good four inches, I knew she could take me down with a flick of her wrist.

Bella gasped, "Nori!" as she stood from the couch, obviously embarrassed and hurt by my outburst. I didn't even look at her. My eyes were focused on _Alice_ , who was smiling mischievously at me.

"I see you've been spending time with the werewolves as well." She dropped her hand. "No matter. You'll see that I'm not here to hurt you or anything. Bella is my best friend," she said so matter-of-factly that I almost believed her – I would have if I didn't know about the past Bella had with the Cullens.

I narrowed my eyes at the pixie girl. "Why are you here?" I demanded as Bella gasped again. I could feel my sister glaring daggers into my forehead.

Pixie girl smiled and flitted back over to the couch, where she linked her arm with Bella's. "I just wanted to check up on my best friend. I…" she bit her lip, "thought Bella might do something drastic, and I had to make sure she was still alive."

"Well she is," I said firmly. "No thanks to you."

"Nori, that's enough," Bella murmured. "Please." Her face was so downcast as she sent me the greatest puppy dog face ever created by a human. I bit the inside of my cheek as I glared both of them down.

"Bella, I don't care about what you do in your free time or who you choose to be friends with, but do you not remember what they _did_ to you?" I seethed, feeling the strange anger welling up inside me and beg to overflow. It was one of those things kept happening ever since the wolves appeared.

"Nori-"

"No, she's right," Alice sighed. "Nori, I know you think we did this on purpose, but I promise you – I had no idea that Bella would end up like she did. If I had any inclination as to how she would be affected by our leaving, I swear to you, I would have never left. If you don't believe another word I say, at least believe that."

It was silent for a moment as I contemplated her words. Strangely, I believed her, but the anger inside of me wouldn't allow me to forgive her. I was too on edge – my close relationship with the wolves must be rubbing off, because I could feel my body reacting in negative ways from being around the leech. The hair on my arms stood on end, my heart raced, sweat beaded on the back of my neck while cold chills flew down my spine. My muscles tensed and loosened as they prepared to launch me out of the room at any moment.

"I'm going to my room. Bella, you should really be careful."

I turned and walked up the stairs without a backwards glance.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Curled under the covers of my bed, I could hear the voices of my sister and her _friend_ talking in the living room. I could hear the dryer turn on downstairs, and then dishes being washed. Bella must have been doing chores while she hung out with the leech.

I put headphones in and listened to Nirvana as I reread one of the many novels on my bookshelf in hopes that I could keep my brain busy and just pretend today never happened. I could pretend that my family was normal, my friends weren't supernatural creatures, their enemy wasn't in my living room downstairs, I wasn't so emotionally screwed up over a guy I hated, and I could pretend that Harry Clearwater was still alive.


	21. I: Nineteen

**Thanks for the birthday wishes, guys! Yesterday was awesome and I even managed to map out the entire story, from New Moon to Breaking Dawn, so that I can finish writing it sooner. If anyone has any ideas for stuff they want to happen, please let me know! I'm always open to changes.**

 **And we've reached over 100 reviews! I'm beyond ecstatic. I never thought I'd get this many reviews in only the first part of this story. You guys are too epic.**

 **Anyway, here's a new chapter. I'm going to try to update every day or other day if possible. There are only a few chapters left for New Moon. Then, we begin Part II :o**

 **Please review, review, review!**

* * *

Harry's service was held on the beach, with Dad and I being the only non-natives attending. We listened silently as close family and friends said a few words about the man who meant so much to the Quileute people and my family. Dad even choked up a little as he read a short speech he had written on an index card.

The tears were pouring down my face as memories and testimonies were shared and people sniffled and sobbed around me. I couldn't handle watching people mourn. It always tore at my heartstrings and caused me to tear up. I was thankful that Embry was by my side, holding me together with an arm around my shoulders and the occasional kiss to my hair.

Jacob sat at the end of the aisle, and every few seconds, he would glance our way and meet my eyes. His shoulders were tense and a deep grimace was set on his face.

I wanted to smooth the anger lines on his face and make him smile again.

I blanched as the thought crossed my mind and blinked rapidly as Billy spoke to the congregation. What the hell was wrong with me? I'd rather deal with the crazy anger swings over these types of thoughts. At least then, I could really hate Jacob.

After sending Harry's body out to sea, people began leaving the beach or milling around. The pack assembled at the far end with Sam and Emily. I joined them after telling Dad that Embry would bring me home later that day. He was glad, since he'd be spending the day at Sue's, helping her as people showed up with food and condolences.

"How are you holding up, Nori?" Emily asked as Embry and I joined the group. She took my hand and squeezed it. I squeezed back.

"I'm okay," I murmured as I wiped underneath my eyes with my free hand to remove any smudged makeup from my tears during the service. "I'm okay."

Jacob's eyes met mine from across the little circle we had all formed. I averted mine quickly before I could get sucked into his brown orbs.

The boys were silent with their hands stuffed into the pockets of their dress pants, their heads hung low as each of them shifted their weight from foot to foot. It was almost comical how they were so in sync.

Suddenly, I realized something obvious. "Where are Paul and Quil?"

The tension was thick as Sam cleared his throat. "They're with Seth and Leah," he murmured quietly.

I stared at him in confusion. "What? But why-" and then, I grasped what he meant. "Holy hell," I muttered. "Leah, though?"

"Yeah," Jared said. "It threw us for a loop. Damn vampires. How many could still be around?"

I suddenly remembered what I was supposed to tell the pack. "Guys, speaking of vampires…" - all eyes turned to me – "…there's one at my house playing BFF with my sister."

Embry's arm clenched around me tightly as Sam began spamming me with questions and Jacob began shivering.

"How long have they been alone? Why didn't you call any of us? Did they say anything about coming to the reservation?"

"It's a damn Cullen, isn't it," Jacob growled, interrupting Sam's interrogation.

I nodded and Jacob immediately made a beeline for the parking lot. Sam barked out orders for Jared and Embry to follow and make sure he didn't do anything stupid. I moved to chase after them.

"Nori, stop!" Sam called.

I ignored him and hopped into the back seat of Jacob's Rabbit.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The ride to my house was eerily quiet. Jacob was shivering in the passenger seat up front, while Jared calmly drove and Embry sat next to me in the back. Every few moments, Embry would glance over at me and give a reassuring smile, but I could tell that it was forced. He was worried about Jacob breaking the treaty and wiping out the Cullen girl staying in my house.

Jared pulled up into the driveway, right next to the Cullen girl's dark Mercedes. It hadn't been there that morning when Dad and I left, but I knew that she would be back. Bella stayed home from the funeral for that very reason, I was sure.

Before the car was even parked, Jacob was out and jogging up to the front door. Jared cut the engine off and crossed his arms over his chest.

"And now we wait," he mumbled as we watched Jacob pace at the bottom of the porch steps and clench his hands tightly by his sides. He could probably smell the leech, or he was angry that Bella was with one.

And then, Bella opened the door.

A breath of relief left me as my sister talked to Jacob, seemingly all right. She was alive and well and that was all I could ask for.

We watched as she and Jacob talked for a moment, and then her eyes raked through the car. She was glaring at Jared and probably Embry, who was now sitting in the middle now and leaning up over the console between the front seats to whisper with Jared.

Jacob turned to look at the car and Embry shook his head. "Don't do it, Jake. Don't."

I grabbed Embry's arm and continued watching my sister and Jacob from over Jared's shoulder.

Bella said something and Jacob spun around to face her as his hands shook. And then he followed her inside.

"What did she say?" I asked, shocked that my sister would do something to piss Jacob off like that.

Embry chuckled and Jared smacked him on the back of the head. "Dude, it's not funny."

"Oh, it kind of is."

"Dammit, Embry, what did she say?" I demanded with a little whine to my voice. I hated not having super hearing like my wolf friends.

Embry leaned back and laid an arm over my shoulders like he always did. "Bella just called Jake a chicken." He chuckled again.

I rolled my eyes. "Leave it to her to come up with third grade insults."

Jared snorted. "Embry must have rubbed off on her."

I laughed at Jared's statement as Embry scowled. "Not like I rubbed off on your mom."

Jared reached around to put Embry in a faux headlock as the two threw insults at each other while I giggled at them. I couldn't help but steal glances at the house every few seconds though. I was terrified, but I didn't want to admit that I was terrified for Jacob.

We waited and joked around for half an hour while Jacob stayed inside the house. The boys could hear voices, but couldn't tell what anyone was saying. They could only confirm that Jacob and Bella weren't the only people in the house – a third female was present, and I knew that to be Alice.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Alice came rushing out with a bag in her hands and Bella on her tail. Jacob appeared on the porch and grabbed Bella's arm.

My stomach dropped and fear engulfed me. Tears filled my eyes and I gasped for air. Embry spun around the look at me and immediately started freaking out.

"Nori? Nori, breathe. Breathe!"

I blinked rapidly and focused on taking in deep breaths while Jared muttered something about my emotions being linked to Jacob's.

Jared suddenly cursed loudly and leapt from the car. I closed my eyes and took a final deep breath and reopened them to see that my mind was clear again. The dark Mercedes was gone, the front door was wide open, and Jared was running into the woods by my house at werewolf speed.

Embry climbed out of the car and started walking over to where Jared had disappeared. I stumbled after him.

"What happened?" I gasped as Embry bent down and picked up a shredded shoe. I recognized it as being Jacob's.

"Jake phased. Jared went after him to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Embry shook his head. "Poor kid."

Embry picked up the rest of Jacob's tattered clothes and tossed them into the backseat of the Rabbit. He then turned to me.

"We're going to go inside and get whatever you need for tonight. Billy can figure out a way to keep your dad on the rez. But until we're sure none of the others are coming, you guys shouldn't sleep here."

I nodded numbly as Embry led me into the house. We headed for my room, but something on the kitchen table caught my eye. It was a piece of paper, ripped jaggedly at the edges and scribbled on in familiar script.

My eyes scanned over Bella's hastily-written words and shock began to course through my veins as I realized what kind of idiot my sister was.

I slammed the paper down onto the table. "What in the hell is wrong with her?" I growled. "How could she be so selfish?"

Embry shrugged and took my hand off of the paper and gently caressed the back with his thumb. "I don't know," he murmured. "She's just too wrapped up in her own life and problems to care about those around her."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to stand up for my sister and say that she would never do something so horribly mean. But as I stared down at her scrawled words and thought of my father, who was still grieving the man he considered one of his best friends, I couldn't help but agree with Embry.


	22. I: Twenty

**Dedicated to Rose. I hope this clears up the "why."**

 **Also, to answer the question of whether Jacob feels the imprint or not: compare Jacob before the imprint and after. He was sunny, happy, and optimistic. Now, he isn't sunny anymore. Fighting the imprint takes a toll on the person. If Jacob chooses to ever give in to the imprint, perhaps his sunny personality will slowly filter back through.**

* * *

I had never seen Dad as angry as he was when he came home and read the note from Bella.

Dad, she'd written. I'm with Alice. Edward's in trouble. You can ground me when I get back. I know it's a bad time. So sorry. Love you and Nori so much. Bella.

When I had seen the note after she tore out of the yard with the leech, I had called her a selfish brat while Embry cursed her to hell and back. Of all the days to leave the country, she chose the worst one.

Embry had told me not to tell my father any of the details I knew, and just stick with the note. So I called him, relayed Bella's written message, and stared in shock at the phone when he hung up without a word. He'd never done that to me before.

Charlie Swan walked through the door ten minutes later with the scariest look on his tomato-red face. The veins in his forehead and neck stood out as he clenched his jaw. He was absolutely livid and I flinched away when he headed straight for me and snatched the paper from my hand.

"What the fuck is wrong with her?" he exclaimed after reading the words for himself and I cringed back into Embry at his outburst. My father never used language that harsh.

Embry and I were silent as my father crumpled the note and threw it across the room.

"Dad, I-"

"I don't want to hear it, Nori," he snapped. "I've had it up to here with your sister and these Cullens." He stalked back towards the door without a glance my way.

"I'll be at the station. Don't wait up."

With that, he slammed the door shut behind him.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

For three days, wolves patrolled the house constantly while I holed up in my room and wrote music. Dad returned late each night from the station, only to stomp up the stairs to his room without a word to me. I felt like I had been the one to betray his trust, when in reality, I had been with the group that tried to keep Bella here.

Embry and Quil would come to my window when they patrolled to see if we'd heard anything from Bella. I never had any information for them.

So we waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Jacob hadn't left his room since the day Bella left. Embry and Quil were worried about him, because apparently he was finally breaking under the pressure of whatever wolf "imp" thing had happened and losing Bella.

They asked me to go talk to him. I refused.

After the way Jacob had treated me since Bella came back and the fact that they were all still hiding the reasons for my insanity, I had no desire to help the pack out right now. I had enough drama to deal with. My sister was MIA, my father was a walking volcano ready to erupt again at the drop of a hat, a crazy red-headed vampire named Victoria was trying to kill my family, and I was still an emotional wreck.

Three days after Bella left, Quil showed up with a message for me from Sam. Apparently, I had been summoned to La Push to talk to the Alpha. I had a nagging feeling that it had something to do with the fact that Jacob was playing the pitiful card and I had acted like a maniac to Emily not long ago.

Quil hopped into the passenger seat of Bella's truck as I climbed behind the steering wheel. I was moving sluggishly today, especially since I had been losing sleep over stress and such. Quil seemed to have taken a happy pill because the bastard wouldn't stop bouncing around with excitement.

"Geeze, Quil. You're shaking the truck," I grumbled. "What drugs are you on?"

He laughed. "Only the best kinds, Nori-Nor. You're just jelly that you don't have access to my stash." He winked at me and I rolled my eyes.

"Said no one ever," I retorted as I pulled onto the highway leading towards La Push.

Quil huffed as he turned up radio volume and began searching for a station that didn't have an overload of static or annoying pop music. He cursed and whined about Bella's truck having a sucky signal until we reached the border of La Push and he finally came across a station with no static.

I laughed as Quil belted out the lyrics to a Michael Jackson song and tried to dance inside the cab. For a moment, I forgot all about my worries and fears and issues and just enjoyed the company of one of my best friends.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Sam was standing on his front porch when I pulled into the driveway. Quil was quick to get out and head towards the door, passing Sam and sending him a mock salute. I followed behind and stopped in front of Sam as he shook his head and rolled his eyes at Quil's antics.

"So, I heard you wanted to speak to me," I said, breaking the ice first because I knew how awkward Sam could be. I clasped my hands behind my back and tried to look at ease, but worry was itching at the surface.

Sam nodded, but his stoic expression gave me no clues as to what kind of conversation this would be.

"Come with me," he said gruffly, and headed into the woods.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The waves crashed onto the rocky shores of First Beach as Sam sat next to me on a large piece of driftwood. The sun was still making its way up and over the horizon behind us, so the morning was still chilly and gray in color. I stuffed my hands into the big pocket of my sweatshirt and waited for Sam to say something.

I didn't have to wait long.

"Before I say anything else, I just want to start off with how I don't appreciate you coming into my house and yelling at Emily for being an honest and trustworthy person, nor am I happy that you have haggled the other pack members for information."

I flinched at his harsh tone and gulped loudly. "I n-never meant any harm," I whispered. "Like I told Emily, it's as if I have this piece of me that I can't control anymore, Sam." I blinked back tears and grimaced. "I'm so emotional nowadays and I don't know what the hell is wrong with me."

"It's not your fault," Sam muttered. "If Jacob would stop being a hardheaded ass, you wouldn't be in this mess."

I didn't respond. I had no idea what to say because I completely agreed with him.

"Nori, the reason why I brought you out here wasn't to fuss at you for lashing out at my fiancée." Sam looked at me and smiled slightly. "Emily told me how strong you are and how much you've gone through in the past few months. I admire you, Lenora."

Again, I had no words, so I simply stared at Sam and offered a small smile.

"It made me realize that you really are Jacob's other half. He needs someone who can make him listen for once and not act rashly. Someone who can calm him and lift him up, but also not put up with his bullshit." Sam clasped his hands together and leaned on his elbows that were placed on his knees. "You're going to need to be the one to snap Jacob out of this crazy idea of his. There's no way to break the imprint, no matter how hard he tries. He'll only hurt the two of you even more."

There was that word – the full word, this time. Imprint. Finally, I had the entire word. I racked my brain for a definition, but came up empty-handed.

I cleared my throat softly and asked the question that had plagued my mind. "Is that why I've been so emotionally unstable? Because of this-this imprint business?"

Sam nodded and twiddled his thumbs. "Imprinting is how the wolves find their mate. Love at first sight, if you will. The Elders believe it has to do with producing the strongest lineage, but since you aren't Quileute at all and Jacob is the rightful Alpha, that obviously cancels out that idea."

I played with a hangnail on my thumb and stared out at the choppy water. "So, you're saying that Jacob is my soulmate because of some weird Indian voodoo?"

Sam chuckled. "You could look at it that way. But it's not as bad as it sounds. To me, imprinting is all about making us wolves be the best that we can be. Emily is my imprint and she balances me out in a way no other person ever could. It's basically just a push in the right direction and, once you give in to the imprint, it creates a feeling stronger than any every day love you could feel for someone else."

Suddenly, everything made sense. The day in the meadow with Laurent, Jacob lashing out at me and all of the feelings I felt for him. The confusion, emotional trauma, thoughts, everything fell into place and for the first time, I understood.

"I took him from Bella," I murmured. "He's angry."

"Yes, but there is nothing you could have done to change that," Sam said. "Bella simply wasn't meant to be with Jacob in the way he wanted. You were."

"This is so screwed up," I moaned as I dropped my head into my hands and closed my eyes. "I'm practically stealing my sister's boyfriend without even trying. I mean, I never even saw Jacob in that way before."

Sam patted my shoulder awkwardly in a way of consoling me. I appreciated the act, but it didn't help me at all. "I know it seems like a lot right now, but once Jacob accepts the imprint, things will get better," he said. "It's fighting the imprint that makes you so emotional and him so angry all of the time."

"How do I make him stop?" I whispered. I was never that close to Jacob, so I didn't know him as well as his pack brothers and Bella. And there was no way I was going to Bella for advice on Jacob. She wasn't even in the same country at the moment.

Sam sighed deeply. "You're just as stubborn as he is, and you aren't afraid to put any of the wolves in their place. Use that. Use your strength to push him in the right direction."

I tried to figure out how to do that. I struggled with my own insecurities and weaknesses. I wasn't as strong as Sam seemed to think I was, but I didn't want to let him down. They needed Jacob to be in his right mind and focused so that they could take care of the redheaded vampire and handle the Cullen situation. Plus, if Sam were to pass down the Alpha status to Jacob, Jacob would need to be calm and in tune with his wolf and his brothers so that he could make for a capable leader. He needed someone by his side who could be a leader as well, for both him and his pack. Someone like Emily, who took on that motherly role with ease and cared for everyone in the pack and outside of it.

I wasn't cut out for this.

"Sam, I can't do it," I said, shaking my head as thoughts swarmed through my head. "I'm not Emily."

"Emily is an amazing woman, and a wonderful pack mother to my brothers, but she isn't as brass and fearless as you are, Nori. Hell, have you met your family? You come from good stock. That in itself explains why you are meant to lead with Jacob. And you should begin by guiding your wolf."

I bit my lip and stared out over the water as Embry's face entered my mind. I couldn't hurt him. I had loved him long before any of this began. "But what if I don't want to be with Jacob like you are with Emily?" I questioned as I turned to look at Sam.

He averted his eyes and twiddled his thumbs. "Emily and I were not always as happy as we are now. We had a rocky start, much like you and Jacob and . . . everyone else involved." He shook his head, a small smile gracing his features as he turned to me. "Did you know that I was engaged to Leah Clearwater for over a year before I imprinted on Emily?"

I nodded. While I wasn't close to Leah, I had always been close to her family and knew of her relationship with Sam. "You broke her heart," I murmured. I had a feeling of where Sam was going with this, and I didn't want to hear the truth. I didn't want to leave Embry bitter and angry like Leah was.

"I loved Leah with everything I had in me, and the minute I saw Emily, I knew that she was the one for me." Sam clenched his fist. "But I scarred her, both mentally and physically. She lost her family because she chose me, and she'll never be able to smile as widely as she did before I came into her life. She is quite literally my entire world and I thank God every day that I have her, scars and all. I'd do it all over again, walk away from Leah again and again, if it meant spending one more moment with Emily." He turned his gaze to me again. "Do you understand what I'm saying here, Nori?"

I bit my lip. I had feelings for Jacob, sure. They built with each moment that I was apart from him, festering in my chest as the imprint worked its magic to push us together, but it wasn't the same as what I had with Embry. I had a foundation of friendship, feelings that had lasted for years and trust in a human being who had stood by my side through thick and thin. If I actually had a chance with Embry, why would I want to give that up? Jacob and I had nothing in common but some music taste and mutual friends. I didn't even know his middle name. How could I be expected to give up the guy I cared the most about for someone who could care less about me?

I just couldn't see Jacob ever feeling anything more for me than contempt and annoyance. He definitely would never share the same love that Sam felt for Emily. However, I understood where Sam was coming from. Things had actually worked out for them. I nodded again. "I can't make any promises, though."

"I didn't expect you to. You, Embry, and Jacob have to work through this on your own. But keep in mind," he laid a hand on my shoulder again, "Jacob will be whatever you want him to be. Friend, brother, relationship partner. You don't have to jump into anything with him, so don't feel pressured. But the longer you two fight the bond and spend time apart in anger, the worse you'll both feel."

Sam stood from the log and stretched his long body, popping his back and various other joints. He turned. "Ready to head back?"

I nodded and took the hand he held out to me so that he could lift me from the log with ease. I brushed off my bum and tucked few stray hairs behind one ear.

"Jacob should be coming back from patrol in a little bit. He won't stay long at the house, but maybe you can talk to him for a minute before he goes home," Sam said as we walked back through the forest towards Emily's.

I bit my lip. "What if he won't talk to me?" I asked nervously.

Sam chuckled. "When have you ever let that stop you?"


	23. I: Twenty One

**Good afternoon, lovelies! I have really enjoyed reading everyone's comments and ideas on the last chapter. I know the story may seem confusing or Nori may be too hung up on Jacob for some of your tastes. BUUUUUUT, this story has two more novels to cover and there is PLENTY of time for random twists and turns and changes! So please don't give up on it yet!**

 **Anyway, please review and give feedback!**

* * *

The kitchen was bustling with activity when Sam and I arrived. Emily was by the stove, scrambling eggs in a pan while Paul hovered over her shoulder, trying to steal scraps, while she kept swatting him away. I chuckled at his antics as Sam rushed over to intervene.

Scanning the room, I noticed that Jared and Quil were sitting at the table with someone unfamiliar whose back was towards me. Quil grinned at me as my eyes passed over him again and I stuck my tongue out jokingly. He must have known that Sam would finally break the news to me about the _imprint._

"What's she doing here so early?" Paul motioned to me as he shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth and straddled a backwards chair at the table.

"Paul," Sam warned from where he was now holding Emily as she spooned eggs onto plates for the rest of the boys.

Quil stood and grabbed a plate of food from Emily. "Sam just told Nori about imprinting and Jacob gets off patrol in a few minutes." He grinned at Paul as he stabbed his fork into the eggs. "It's a good morning to be in Emily's kitchen."

"It's always a good morning to be in Emily's kitchen. She's got food," a slightly familiar voice said. I realized that it came from the boy whose back was to me who was reaching across the table to take the plate Emily handed him.

I left my spot by the door and took a seat next to the new boy and examined his features from the side. He was younger than the others, but still looked to be a young man now with his abundance of muscles and cropped hair. He was joking with Quil, his face turned from me, but I couldn't miss the distinctive birthmark under the boy's right ear.

And then it hit me. This was Seth Clearwater sitting at Emily's table.

"Seth!"

The stranger's head whipped around and, now that I saw him fully, I couldn't mistake the boy for my childhood friend. He grinned widely, his attractive features dazzling me for a moment before I flung my arms around his neck and attacked him with a long overdue hug.

"Whoah, Nori. Miss me much?" he joked as he hugged me in return, but the way his arms squeezed me to his chest as he took a deep breath told me that he'd missed me just as much. I hadn't seen him at all since the transformation. I was failing at my big sister duties.

"Of course I did, punk. I had no one to pick on while you were gone," I said with a laugh as I leaned back and ruffled his short hair. He was now much larger in size than me, but it wouldn't stop me from treating him like the fourteen-year-old he was.

Seth grinned again and turned back to his food as Emily placed a plate in front of me. I thanked her and dug in with the others, enjoying the perfection that was Emily's cooking.

The room slowly began to empty out as the nine o'clock hour rolled around. Emily had to do "laundry," but the look on Sam's face as he followed her out of the room told me they would be doing a little more than wash clothes. Quil and Paul tossed around a few jokes about that once the lovebirds were out of the room.

Seth leaned back in his seat once his fifth round of breakfast was polished off and rested an arm on the back of my chair. I laid my head on his shoulder and laughed along with Quil and Paul's banter. Jared would toss his own two cents into the mix every few minutes, and it was hilarious to just sit back and watch the boys converse.

"Well, well, well. Isn't this just a pretty family picture?"

I turned to see Embry standing in the doorway, his arms crossed across his chest as he leaned against the doorjamb with a mischievous smirk. His eyes fell on me and he blinked, surprise crossing his features as he straightened and smiled.

"Since when did you eat breakfast with the pack, Nor?" he asked as he crossed the room and took a seat at the head of the table, between me and Jared. I shoved my leftovers towards him and he greedily began chowing down.

I rolled my eyes. "Sam told me everything this morning."

Embry froze, his fork stuck halfway between the plate and his mouth as his eyes snapped to me. " _Everything_?"

I nodded as Jared cleared his throat. "Well, I guess we should head out," he said as he stood. "You guys ready?" Quil and Paul grumbled as they stood and put their plates in the sink before following Jared out the back door. Seth squeezed my shoulders and murmured a quick goodbye before following suit. I didn't have a chance to speak to anyone before I was left alone with Embry.

His food was now forgotten as he gazed at me as if he were trying to discern my take on this new information. He opened his mouth to say something, but the back door opened and our attention flickered to the person who had just entered.

Jacob glanced between the two of us as a scowl fell on his face. He stomped across the room past us to fix himself a plate and I couldn't help but feel a sharp stabbing sensation in my chest, underneath the fresh gauze that was securely in place underneath my sweatshirt.

"So, Sam grew a pair and told you about imprinting," Embry said casually, a grin on his face as he stared at Jacob's back instead of looking at me. My eyes widened and I jumped as Jacob slammed Emily's pan back down on the stove.

Before I could say a word, Embry had already opened his big mouth again. "Jake, you okay over there?"

Jacob cleared his throat and gently picked up his plate. "Yeah, I'm fine," he replied gruffly, but from the way his entire back was tensed, I knew that he was waiting for me to flip out on him

"Just checking. You know, I wouldn't want you to feel _left out_ over there or anything," Embry said, his words dripping with sarcasm. The smirk on his face was wide, but I could see the anger in my best friend's eyes as he stared Jacob's back down.

I opened my mouth again to speak, but Jacob cut me off.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Jacob challenged lowly as he turned, holding a plate of food in one hand and a fork in the other. He stood by the counter and scooped a forkful of eggs into his mouth, his glaring eyes never leaving Embry. I could almost see the territorial wolves behind the human boys' eyes.

Embry leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and flexing his biceps. "Oh, really? I think I know a lot more than you do." The words didn't seem to mean much, but the way Embry grinned evilly at the end of that statement and the flash of anger on Jacob's face proved that there was a hidden meaning behind them, and I was left speechless and slightly scared as I watched the exchange.

Jacob's lip lifted in a snarl as he clenched the plate in his hands. "You don't know _anything,"_ he hissed, tossing the plate into the sink roughly even though it was still full of food.

"I beg to differ," Embry said with a hard, humorless laugh. "Why don't you tell Nori about imprinting, Jacob? Hm?" he taunted. "Tell her why you're putting her through this hell. It's because you're too busy screwing her leech-loving sister in your head, isn't it?"

The sick grin on Embry's face and the words he had just said made me bite my lip hard enough to taste my own blood. I never knew my best friend was capable of being so mean to another person, and even though I believed Jacob deserved it, I didn't want Embry to be the one to turn evil like this. Why would he act in such a way? I bit my nail, watching quietly because in all honesty, my anxiety was through the roof and I just wanted Embry to get me out of that room.

"You sit by and let Bella toss you around like a rag doll and whine about it. Well, have you ever considered how Nori feels?" Embry demanded, leaning forward. "Have you ever thought about your actions towards your _imprint_?" he snarled.

I flinched at Embry's voice as Jacob took a deep breath, calming his shaking form and keeping himself in control.

"I have loved Bella since I was seven years old," Jacob snapped. "I won't let imprinting ruin everything for me."

Embry laughed incredulously. "Do you even hear yourself? You're too busy thinking about yourself to even consider how you treat everyone around you. You're pissed off constantly to everyone in the pack and you act like an ass towards Nori," he exclaimed. "And what's funny is, the one person you say you care about just dumped your ass for her leech. _Again."_

Jacob took a step forward, growling, but Embry jumped to his feet and placed a hand on my shoulder. I was frozen in shock as I took in the situation around me.

"Watch it, Jake. I know you don't give a shit, but I care about Nori's wellbeing and I won't let you hurt her because you can't control yourself."

Jacob sucked in another breath, his form immediately tensing so that he no longer shook. "I would _never_ hurt Nori. You know that."

"And yet, that's all you've done," Embry said softly, touching the bit of gauze that stuck up from the collar of my shirt, as if he were finally getting his point across. "You can't keep ignoring it, Jake."

Jacob was silent as he glared at my chest and then at Emily's wall for a moment before he moved to stalk out the back door.

I jumped from my seat, moving without even thinking as I rushed forward and grabbed his hand. He froze and spun to stare wide-eyed at me before he jerked his hand from my grasp.

I ignored the stab to my chest as I stepped back. "Why didn't you just tell me the truth?" I murmured, searching for the answer I had been in need of for the longest time.

Jacob shook his head and ran a hand over his tired face as he looked away from me.

"Because," he began. "Because, if you didn't know, none of this was real and I still had a chance with-" He stopped and shook his head again, making eye contact with me for the first time in forever.

I felt warm as his brown eyes met mine and I wanted nothing more than to be closer to him, to the warmth radiating from his soul, but I knew that that would never happen. He hated me. It was clear now.

"You deserve someone who can give you their all, Nori," he whispered. "And I can't. I'm sorry."

With that, he turned and walked out of the house, leaving me standing there in shock as Embry wrapped an arm around my shoulders and wiped away the tears I hadn't even realized I was shedding.

And as Jacob disappeared into the trees, I felt the breath leave my lungs in a painful burst as I realized what had just happened. Jacob still had hope for my sister and thought he was doing what was best for me, but I was nothing but a broken shell standing in Emily's kitchen as Embry rubbed my shoulder.

Embry. The taunting. The low blows and accusations. The smirks and grins while he tore Jacob down in front of me.

My head whipped around to face him as he gazed down at me in concern.

"That was completely unnecessary," I said hotly, my glare burning into his gaze as he winced.

Embry knew what he had done, because he sighed and pursed his lips for a moment before speaking. "Nori, look, I-"

"Embry, just—" I sighed. "I just need to be alone," I snapped as I shoved his arm off of my shoulders and stomped out of the house to Bella's truck.


	24. I: Twenty Two

**Who the heck is Debbie Hicks and why is she posting weird coded mess in the reviews?! o.O Bye Felicia.**

 **Anyway, I hope everyone has had a safe week! Prayers going out to my fellow southerners in the USA. These tornados and storms have been insaaaane today!**

 **Now that I have wifi back up and running, here comes a new chapter. Please review! AND DON'T HATE ME FOR HOW I PORTRAY BELLA IN THIS CHAPTER I PROMISE THINGS GET BETTER WITH HER AND WHATNOT.**

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I met Edward Cullen that night. I really wished I hadn't snapped at Embry, because seeing the vampire behind it all terrified me.

He was tall, with bronze hair and golden eyes that seemed to read beyond the surface. I literally couldn't stop myself from staring in awe when he walked through the front door, carrying Bella with Charlie on his heels glaring him down.

I remembered Bella telling me about his gift of reading minds and quickly began singing Jesus Loves Me as obnoxiously as I could in my head.

He glanced at me as he tried to pass me in the kitchen and grimaced. I grinned. I really hated him.

Bella slept throughout the evening, leaving Dad and I to eat dinner together in silence. Dad was furious - the veins in his neck were still bulging as if he kept replaying the image of Edward Cullen walking through the house carrying Bella, and Bella's tired pleas for Dad to let Edward stay with her.

It was ridiculous how great of a hold that bastard had on my sister. Then again, I couldn't say much. Jacob had a pretty similar hold on me. The difference was, I didn't love him and he definitely didn't love me.

After washing the dishes, I moved to head upstairs, but Dad's voice stopped me.

"Nori, I don't want those Cullens in this house. I don't care if I'm home or not; they aren't allowed back on this property." He was staring hard at me, as if waiting for me to side with my sister.

I nodded. "I won't let them in," I promised. "But you'd better make sure Bella understands that."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Bella didn't understand that.

In fact, she refused to let Dad control her and, as proud as I was for her standing up for herself, I couldn't agree with her decisions. Letting this Edward guy waltz back into her life without a second thought seemed like a sure way towards another heartbreak. Even if he changed and became the perfect boyfriend for her, she only had another fifty odd years left while he would live forever. Their relationship was doomed from the start.

Things fell back into place after she fussed with Dad. She continued with school, working at the Newton's store, and seeing her precious Edward every chance she got. The only thing missing from our lives was Jacob, who had become practically a permanent fixture at Bella's side. He wouldn't return her phone calls and Edward wouldn't let her go back to the reservation. I was angry that she could just drop Jacob so easily after all he had sacrificed for her.

It had been a week since Bella returned. I hadn't gone to the reservation - instead, I spent my days catching up on online schoolwork and replaying the day in Emily's kitchen. Embry hadn't talked to me since I snapped at him, but then again, I hadn't made an effort to talk to him either. I missed him. I missed Jacob. I missed the reservation and my friends. But things had been said and I had flipped out on my best friend for no reason. He had only stood up for me and tried to help me by making Jacob spill his thoughts in front of me. I should have thanked him, not yelled and walked away.

I spent the week contemplating Sam's words from that day on the beach. I fought with myself over how to handle this imprint. Did I really want to be the one to give in and fight for Jacob? Did I even want to be with Jacob?

 _Jacob will be whatever you want him to be._

Could I make Jacob agree to being my friend? Before he wolfed out, we were able to handle each other's company. He was a nice guy to be around - always smiling and cheering up everyone around him while I was the socially awkward human who was depressed half of the time and cracking jokes to make up for my inability to share my inner feelings with everyone. Could I trust Jacob enough to be friends with him?

 _The longer you two fight the bond and spend time apart in anger, the worse you'll both feel._

I was so tired of being angry and depressed over Jacob Black. There had to be a solution that didn't cut Embry out of my life and didn't force me into Jacob's arms. I just wanted to be free from this internal hell I had been in ever since Jacob saw me in the meadow.

And a part of me wanted to see Jacob smile again. Really smile. He hadn't since before he phased.

"Nori?"

I jumped and sat up in bed to see Bella standing in the doorway. She chewed on her lower lip as she scrutinized me before walking into the room and sitting on the edge of my bed. I pulled my feet up to sit crosslegged as she played with her hands in her lap.

"I need your help," she finally said, looking up to make eye contact. I could see the war she was fighting behind her brown eyes. Eyes that practically matched my own, that we had both been blessed with from our father. It still rendered me speechless at how alike Bella and I were in some ways and how different we were in so many others that mattered.

"Shoot," I told her.

"I need you to go to the reservation and tell Jacob I'm sorry. He won't answer my calls and I don't know what else to do."

I stared at her for a full ten seconds before I coughed out a laugh. "Are you serious?"

She only gazed back sheepishly with those doe eyes begging me to do her bidding. I swallowed back the bile in my throat that had risen at the thought of telling Jacob to come back to my sister after the way she had treated him.

I felt for her. I really did. But _I_ wasn't even on speaking terms with Jacob, for crying out loud! I couldn't ask him to take back my sister, who had already hurt him this week.

"He'll listen to you, Nori. You're the only one and I-"

"No."

She blinked, shocked. "W-What?"

I glared at her. "I said, 'No.' I won't be your messenger. If you want to talk to Jacob, _you_ can go to the rez yourself. I want nothing to do with your twisted relationship with him and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't give me the time of day to pass your little message along, anyway."

Bella glared just as harshly back at me as she stood abruptly. "Twisted? What's twisted is the way you dangle yourself in front of him and then frolic off to be with Embry. I only asked you for a favor. Whatever you're thinking is completely wrong. Jacob _loves_ me."

"You don't even know what love is," I snarled as I threw the blanket off of my legs and stood to face my fuming sister. "You think you love Jacob, but you've never seen him as anything more than a cute little brother who follows you around and worships the ground you walk on. You _thrive_ off of it. You can't stand the thought of him not being at your beckon call 24/7, so you come to me to be your manipulator." I shook my head with another hard laugh. "You're insane. Why don't you go make out with your bloodsucking boyfriend and leave the pack alone."

Bella took a long breath in as she stared helplessly at me for a moment. "I can't lose him," she said, tears coming to her eyes.

I closed my own as I tried to channel compassion and filter out all of the anger I felt towards my sister. "You can't have the best of both worlds, Bella." _This isn't a damn Hannah Montana special_ , I thought sarcastically to myself.

"But I can try," she murmured before sniffling and walking out of my room. I stared at my doorway after she disappeared and tried to discern what she meant by that. Was she really going to try to keep Jacob as her lap dog and Edward as her lover? A sudden rush of annoyance poured through me at the thought of Jacob being dragged around behind my sister as he begged for her attention, only to have Edward thrown in his face.

Jacob needed to grow a pair. Was this what Sam had meant when he said I needed to push Jacob?

I slung a pillow across the room with a growl as a defeated wolf's howl filled the night air.


	25. I: Twenty Three

**I can't believe we're at the end of Part I D: Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me through this first section of the fanfic. You guys are seriously amazing and your reviews and ideas have given me plenty of inspiration to begin Part II.**

 **With that said, I hope you all enjoy this last chapter and get psyched for upcoming Eclipse correlation: Veins. By the way, I strongly suggest you guys listen to the songs that I use as the prefaces for each part. I listen to them on repeat when writing and gain inspiration from the lyrics, so they give you a great idea of Nori's perspective for each Part. And please keep reviewing!**

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Saturday afternoon, Jacob showed up in the yard with two bikes. The minute I saw them, I knew something in him had snapped. He would never betray Bella like that.

Dad was in the living room watching the game when I answered the door. Jacob didn't even acknowledge me as he blew past and headed straight for Dad. A sudden rush of fear for my father filled me before Jacob spoke.

"You need to know what Bella's been up to."

He then proceeded to tell my father all about Bella buying the bikes, asking him to fix them up and then going for rides and injuring herself, only to lie to Dad later and say that she was just clumsy. Jacob spilled the entire secret - all except for the fact that I was there, too. Not once did he throw me under the bus, and I was grateful for being left out of the trouble.

That is, until Dad remembered that I had been there the first time.

"Nori, I thought you said Bella tripped in the garage?" he accused, confusion spread clear across his face.

I stared at Jacob wide-eyed, and he sent me a similar look before clearing his throat.

"Uh, Nori didn't know the truth. She spent the day with my dad and watched the game. The bike thing was strictly for Bells and me."

The stinging sensation hit my chest as he said the words, but the way he winced afterwards and shot me a glance actually lightened the pain and for a moment, I was thankful that Jacob was there.

Dad accepted Jake's story and thanked him for coming to him with the truth. He then proceeded to tell me that if I saw Bella, she was to report straight back to him. She was in for a punishment of a lifetime and I couldn't help but grimace a little as my father said that. That punishment could have been mine to share with her if Jacob hadn't saved my ass.

He left after my father clapped him on the back and told him he was still welcome there anytime. The poor boy just swallowed and nodded, giving the worst fake smile I have ever seen before rushing out through the door.

I stared after him as he took off into the woods across the street, wondering why in the world he would rat out Bella all of a sudden. I mean, I knew he was probably angry with her for accepting Edward back in her life so easily, but she had such a hold over him. I was thoroughly confused.

Questions swarmed through my head as I yearned to get the answers I desperately needed. The urge to be in Jacob's presence a little longer pricked at the back of my mind and as he disappeared into the tree line, I found myself yelling over my shoulder, "I'm going for a walk, Dad!"

I darted across the yard after Jacob.

Vines pricked the skin of my ankles where they were expose between the ends of my leggings and the tops of my sneakers as I pushed my way through the underbrush. Jacob had long disappeared into the greenery and I was left to my own devices as I headed straight through the forest, keeping my fingers crossed that Jacob hadn't decided to veer off in another direction.

A branch whacked the side of my face, scratching my cheek roughly as I cursed under my breath. As much as I loved the woods, I preferred sticking to clear paths instead of fighting the growth. My cheek stung from the battle wound, but I chose to ignore it and continued trampling through until I broke into a small clearing.

A large tree was straight across from me, with weeping branches hanging over and protecting the small clearing from the misting rain coming down. I stood in silence for a moment, trying to pick up any sounds from Jacob that I could.

"Why are you following me?"

I squeaked at the sudden voice and spun around to find Jacob standing to my left, just inside the tree line with his arms crossed across his broad chest. He was scowling down at me, but his eyes softened as they made contact with my own. I bit my lip, averting my eyes and fidgeted with the hem of my long sleeved shirt as his gaze burned a hole in my forehead.

"Well?" he prodded, taking a step towards me. I tensed at his tone, ready to snap back at him, but my heart was racing in pure pleasure at his nearness. It was the imprint working within me. It loved having Jacob in its presence. Personally, I was torn between tolerating and hating it.

I cleared my throat as I tried reeling in the scattered emotions and focusing on the matter at hand. "I wanted to talk to you."

Jacob huffed and leaned against the tree he was standing beside. "Oh, yeah?" He pursed his lips. "And what makes you think that I want to talk to you?"

I flinched without really thinking about it. I couldn't help but feel a stab of pain at Jacob's words. I was starting to understand that he only spoke this way because of his feelings towards my sister and his determination to beat the imprint, but it didn't make the pain any less. I was just as much affected by all of this as him, and it was time he figured it out.

"Stop being a stubborn jerk for five minutes and just let me _thank_ you!" I snapped, squeezing my eyes shut as I ran my hands down my face in frustration. "You saved my butt back there in front of my dad. It's not like I'm hounding you for a relationship, Jacob. But you're making this more difficult than it has to be." My eyes flashed open and met his dark ones from yards away. His scowl was still set on his face, but his jaw was no longer tense and I was 98% positive I was making a little progress. Sam's words filled my mind, giving me the courage to move forward.

 _Use your strength to push him in the right direction._

"Sam said that _I_ decide on what we're going to be, not you," I said firmly, moving my hands around as I spoke. "And I'm _tired_ of hurting. I can't handle Bella and her constant stunts that drive Dad closer to a heart attack _and_ put up with your constant mood swings and the emotional rollercoaster this whole imprint thing has me on at the same time, Jacob. This is all too much."

I took a steady step towards him. He tensed but otherwise didn't move. "I want to be friends," I stated finally. "Not best friends or anything like that. Just acquaintances who see each other every now and then and act civilized towards one another because they have some form of _decency_ about themselves." I knew that I was really just throwing words out to hurt Jacob in some way, but I had gotten to the point where I was tired of letting things just go. If I was supposed to whip Jacob into shape and make him a better wolf, I might as well start now.

The scowl slowly crumbled from Jacob's face, leaving a worn expression and making the sixteen-year-old boy look almost ten years older. I bit my lip hard enough to taste my own blood.

It was silent for a full fifteen seconds with Jacob just watching me thoughtfully as I chewed relentlessly on my poor lip.

"Jake, say something," I begged, my confidence waning. This was much harder than Sam made it seem.

Jacob took a deep breath in and dropped his head, staring at his feet for a moment. He seemed to come to a conclusion, because he straightened from his stance against the tree and took a few steps forward, closing the distance between us. It shocked me how he towered over my average height. He had to be Sam's size. Maybe even a little taller. Even with my thicker build than Bella's he was easily twice my width. If I didn't know Jacob, I would be terrified of him by his sheer size. Hell, I was still a little wary of the giant.

He had the power to crush me with his pinky _and_ his words.

"It's hard to fight a battle I keep losing," Jacob murmured. He held his hand out slowly, shakily, as if unsure of his own decision. "I-I guess I could be your friend."

"You _guess_?" I teased, smirking slightly in an attempt to break the silence. My heart throbbed as Jacob's eyes twinkled and a miniature smirk graced his features. It was nothing like the sunny smiles he gave my sister or the ecstatic expressions from before the wolf stuff, but it was something.

"Just shake my hand, Lenora."

I laughed softly and reached forward, taking his gigantic warm hand in my own. He gently shook our clasped hands once before releasing mine quickly and shoving his own into the pockets of his cut offs.

"You really shouldn't be out here," he said, glancing in the direction we had come. "It's not safe."

"Well, I had to talk to you." I suddenly remembered the reason I had for chasing after Jacob and sucked a breath in. "Oh! And I wanted to ask why you tattled on Bella," I added conversationally, ignoring the way Jacob's face hardened at my sister's name.

He cleared his throat gruffly and scuffed his foot. "Your sister has been making stupid life decisions with her _precious Cu-_ " He clamped his mouth shut and shook his head. "Just-Just don't worry about it, Nori. I'm going to handle it. But I need you to leave before they get here."

I raised my brows. "Before who gets here?"

Jacob ignored me. Instead, he gently pushed me towards the hidden path that I couldn't even pick out of the underbrush now. "Nori, go home."

I skidded to a halt on my heels, and even though Jacob could easily continue pushing me, he paused for my benefit - and probably so he wouldn't accidentally hurt me. "You can't just give me a cryptic statement and expect me to leave. I'm not an idiot, Jacob."

He grimaced. "I know you aren't. But I'm already dealing with your sister. I can't deal with you, too."

I flinched away from his hand at his words. My stomach twisted and I pushed his hand further away from me. It wasn't even him caring for my sister that really cut deep. It was the fact that I would always be Nori the unwanted imprint who would forever be pushed to the side the minute my sister came into the picture. That hurt the most. I would never be as good as Bella.

I had known that fact while growing up. She was always the thin, pale goddess with long, shiny hair and boobs. Meanwhile, I was the blemish-faced ogre with frizzy hair and a practically flat chest. I was the one with nightmares and fear of a guy who lived right down the road, while Bella never had a care in the world until she met Edward.

I had never wasted time being jealous of my sister until this moment. Even when I tried to make peace with the chaotic situation at hand, she somehow screwed it up. I swallowed hard to wash away the anger towards Bella and reminded myself that she was my sister and she wasn't doing this on purpose. Jacob was just in too deep.

"We're back to that, are we?" I muttered resentfully. "Those five minutes were fun."

Jacob blanched. "Nori, I didn't-" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Dammit."

I shook my head with a little laugh as I backed away. "It's always going to be like this, isn't it? I make a little progress with you and you push me out a little farther for my sister."

Jacob stood still, his blank features not able to mask the conflict in his eyes. I was right. I always knew I was right about this.

"I'm the only one who will ever try to make this easier, aren't I?" I questioned, my voice raising in volume as I fought back tears. This emotional rollercoaster was still in full swing and just when I thought it might slow down, we were taking another nosedive down the track. "You keep fighting for Bella, but she's too busy making-out with her bloodsucking boyfriend to even _care!_ "

As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. Jacob's face morphed into the most heart-wrenching expression of torment before he quickly ran a hand through his hair, tugging on the ends, and shook off the look. "Oh, and you fawning over Embry every time you see him is any better?" he sneered. "You feel the same way about him as I feel about Bella." I winced and stepped backwards. "You don't know anything, Nori," he growled. "As long as she's still breathing, I _have_ to try to save her."

 _As long as she's still breathing…_ Save her from what?

Images of Victoria sucking Bella dry or Edward snapping her in half on accident while simply hugging her with his outrageous strength filled my mind.

I froze. "What are you talking about?"

Jacob dropped his hand from his hair and laughed bitterly. "Nothing. Your sister just has no idea what she's getting herself into."

I hated these cryptic statements that Jacob kept feeding me, but I was exhausted after spatting with him. I just wanted to go back to our handshake and forget the last few hurtful words.

Jacob's head jerked up as if he heard something, and for a split moment, I was terrified that Victoria or another dangerous vampire was here. But Jacob's annoyed glare and lack of phasing told me that it wasn't enough of a danger to act on.

"Nori, _go!_ " Jacob snapped in a quiet tone without even looking at me.

 _"Traitor!"_ a voice screamed from the direction of the road. It was Bella.

A thought crossed my mind and I couldn't help but smirk slightly. "I guess she saw the bikes."

Instead of laughing, Jacob made a low guttural noise in the back of his throat as he paced. He froze for a split second before he was suddenly by my side, holding me there next to him by the trunk of the weeping tree as two figures approached us.

It was Bella and Edward, and neither looked very happy. In fact, Edward was holding Bella behind him, as if he were afraid Jacob would snatch her up and run away.

"Bella," Jacob said, acknowledging her with a sneer even though his eyes never left Edward. I ignored the way my stomach turned at her name coming from his mouth. I kept a watchful eye over Jacob as I kept tabs on the other two with flickering glances, worried that with the way Jacob was so tense, a fight would break out.

His eyes flashed to Bella, and I wondered if she'd said something too low for me to hear before Jacob responded, "It's for the best." He was no longer sneering at them, but instead just glared ahead, his face a stoney mask now.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Bella screeched. "Do you want Charlie to strangle me? Or did you want him to have a heart attack, like Harry?" I mentally cursed at my sister for throwing such a low blow. "No matter how mad you are at me, how could you do this to him?"

Even though I was angry with Bella and our sisterly ties were slowly breaking as she chose the natural rivals to my friends, I couldn't help but agree with her argument to a point. Dad had already stressed enough, and this could have surely sent him over the edge.

But, she caused it.

I thought of all the times Dad lost sleep over her. All of the times he put her before himself and did his very best to raise her like he raised me. He tried so hard to please Bella and make her happy, and she repaid him by being a selfish brat who wouldn't take no for an answer.

I clenched my fist and kept my mouth shut.

"I believe that is a bit harsh, Lenora." Edward's voice broke through my reverie and I saw that he was watching me intently. He was reading my mind.

I opened my mouth to retort, but Jacob beat me to it. "Get the fuck out of her head," he snapped, glaring daggers at Edward as I flinched at his language. His frame was shivering slightly. He was fighting the need to phase, and I couldn't blame him - he was wound up too tight and standing in the presence of his enemy. I was surprised he hadn't phased and ripped Edward to shreds already.

"She was merely thinking words I couldn't ignore," Edward responded smoothly. Bella held onto his arm and sent me a questioning look that quickly shifted into a narrow eyed stare. She probably thought I was in on the whole grounding idea, too.

"Before you begin, I need to say something," Edward said, his eyes on Jacob. I bit my lip in anticipation. "I will never be able to tell you how grateful I am. I will owe you for the rest of my . . . existence."

Jacob's hard mask fell as he stared openly at Edward. "Wait," he said, much softer than I expected as he held a hand up to gesture for Edward to stop. "Embry?"

I blinked. What did Embry have to do with this?

The person in question stepped out of the trees by my side, scaring me half to death. As I jumped back, Embry held up both hands in surrender but otherwise said nothing. His eyes were on Jacob, and with a curt nod, he lifted me easily and quickly turned to leave the clearing.

"Wait, Embry-"

"Nope," he said firmly as he moved to leave.

"Jacob, I'm still holding you to that handshake!" I yelled as Embry darted farther into the woods and away from a heartbrokenly furious Jacob, an annoyed Bella, and a stone cold Edward Cullen.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"What were you doing there?"

We were sitting on the front steps so Embry was still in earshot and had a visual on Edward's car, which was parked just down the street at an angle that was visible to the house. I was safely out of harm's way, though Bella was allowed to stay. I didn't understand that logic.

Embry shrugged, his grin even more prominent than mine. He seemed relieved to see me, and I was pretty sure I was just as relieved to see him. It seemed like years since we had last hung out, even though it had only been a week. I figured it was because of the way we parted - I had been angry and he was annoyed with my behavior.

"I was patrolling and smelled Jake and the Cullen creep. I came to check it out and make sure nothing major was going down, but Jake heard me and asked me to whisk you away to safety." He chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and stuck my tongue out at him. "I would've been fine," I defended myself.

Embry chuckled again and tussled my hair, causing me to swat at his hand and flip him off.

"You kidnapped me at the best part," I complained with a pout.

"I needed to talk to you, though," he said, his grin falling as he sighed deeply. "Nori, about last week-"

I placed a finger to his lips so he'd stop talking. "Don't," I murmured. "Can we just forget I said anything? I didn't mean to snap at you. If anything, I should have thanked you," I said regretfully.

Embry kissed my forehead and wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. We sat like that for a moment before he began laughing in my hair.

I huffed. "What are you laughing at?"

He leaned back and grinned cheekily at me. "I was just thinking about how hot you are when you get mad at me."

I gasped and smacked his chest before giggles burst from my chest. "Embry Call, you're a weirdo," I accused, even though I was internally freaking out over him calling me _hot_. I wanted to kiss him right then and there, but an image of Jacob flashed through my mind and suddenly, the moment was over.

"Are you listening in?" I asked. "I want to make sure Bella's okay." I knew my reasoning was only an excuse; I was too curious over what Jacob had to say to Edward and my sister.

Embry nodded and stared at the trees for a moment before scrunching his nose up. "Geeze, your sister is determined to keep Jacob _and_ her leech. Like one big happy family."

I swallowed back the bile in my throat at the idea of Bella, Edward, _and_ Jacob living together happily - without me.

At the same time, I felt bad for her. I understood the feeling of being torn between two guys - though, at least half of my problem involved a supernatural situation I couldn't avoid.

"Okay, let's forget that Bella's over there trying to have a threesome in the woods. How's life been, Em-"

Dad burst through the screen door. "Where the hell is your sister?" he demanded, a furious look on his face.

I gulped and glanced at Embry. He ducked his head and avoided eye contact. This was all on me.

"She's, um-"

Before I could finish my sentence, Dad was already off the porch. His eyes were trained on the silver Volvo parked down the street as he marched across the lawn.

"BELLA! YOU GET IN THIS HOUSE THIS INSTANT!" he roared, stopping at the ditch line to face the trees across the street. His voice echoed off of the forest and I winced as I leaned into Embry, terrified. My father was _never_ this angry. Not even when Bella disappeared for three days to run rampant in Italy.

The silence that followed caused my stomach to turn and my heart to begin racing. Embry grabbed my hand and squeezed lightly. "Relax," he murmured. "He's not mad at you."

Embry glanced up at the trees again before hissing under his breath. "The bloodsucker is trying to take _responsibility_ for the red-haired one. I'll be damned if-"

"BELLA! I SEE HIS CAR AND I KNOW YOU'RE OUT THERE!" With each word my father screamed, I flinched further into Embry. My best friend wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me tightly into his shoulder. I imagined my father having a heart attack just like Harry and falling out onto the lawn, dead before I could even leap from the porch to help him. I imagined Bella coming out of the woods, glancing at my dead father, and going on about her business as if she had no care in the world. I knew my sister wasn't that heartless, but her actions as of late spoke louder than her words.

"Well hell," Embry breathed.

I clung tightly onto his torso as I frantically asked, "What's happening?"

He shook his head lightly, as if in awe, before he choked out, "I-I think Jacob just renounced his friendship with Bella."

My pulse quickened, yet my heart seemed to freeze in time. Had Embry heard correctly? Was Jacob really choosing a side now? Had my words changed his way of thinking? I never wanted him to give up his friendship. I knew Bella needed him in her life. I just hated to see him in pain over loving someone he could never have.

Bella would always choose Edward. I couldn't bear to watch Jacob fall harder for a lost cause.

"ISABELLE _SWAN_!" My father had _never_ been angry enough to scream like a maniac into the wilderness like that in my entire life and this whole scenario was freaking me out, worrying for his health and sanity.

"Oh man," I muttered as I mentally begged my father to calm down. I felt like a little kid for some unknown reason.

Bella emerged from the tree line with Edward by her side. She looked paler than usual, her face set in a frown as her eyes focused on the ground, but Edward - Edward seemed almost _smug_.

"Let's get out of here before the yelling really starts," Embry whispered, lifting me into his arms as he headed inside the house.

I nodded my head against his shoulder a moment too late as he crossed the threshold and plopped down onto the couch with me, flicking the channel to some random TV sitcom. As Dad's voice carried inside the house with his angry screams, I buried myself deeper into my best friend's embrace, wishing my life were normal for once and supernatural beings never existed.

We had some serious problems.

My imprint slash soulmate was in love with my sister, who was in love with a vampire, who was completely enamored with her only for her blood.

Victoria, a psycho vampire, was determined to torture and kill Bella for revenge against Edward.

I was in love with my best friend, who was a werewolf designed to kill the boyfriend of my sister.

I had decisions to make. I would most likely lose people I was closest to in the near future, all because of some stupid legend that decided to come true and the dumb luck that my sister fell for an undead creature. And nothing was going to turn out the way I wanted it to in the end.

But despite all of these problems, none of them seemed to matter when Embry kissed my forehead and began babbling about what he, Quil, and Seth had been up to all week as I tried to block out the turmoil both outside and in my head.

I could face anything as long as Embry was here, giving me the confidence and support to face my fate.

He didn't ask for me to join in a conversation. He simply held me tightly as I clung to him, almost positive that if I were to ever choose to let go, I'd never breathe again.


	26. Part II: Veins

.

* * *

 **Part II: Veins**

 **To Coincide With Eclipse**

* * *

 _Nothing goes as planned_  
 _Everything will break_  
 _People say goodbye_  
 _In their own special way_

 _All that you rely on_  
 _And all that you can fake_  
 _Will leave you in the morning_  
 _And find in the day_

 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out_  
 _Oh, you're all I taste_  
 _At night inside of my mouth_  
 _Oh, you run away_  
 _Cause I am not what you found_  
 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out_

 _Everything will change_  
 _Nothing stays the same_  
 _Nobody here's perfect_  
 _Oh, but everyone's to blame_

 _Oh, all that you rely on_  
 _And all that you can save_  
 _Will leave you in the morning_  
 _And find you in the day_

 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out_  
 _Oh, you're all I taste_  
 _At night inside of my mouth_  
 _Oh, you run away_  
 _Cause I am not what you found_  
 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out_

 _No, I cannot get you out_  
 _No, I cannot get you_  
 _No, I cannot get you out_  
 _No, I cannot get you_

 _Everything is dark_  
 _It's more than you can take_  
 _But you catch a glimpse of sunlight_  
 _Shining down on your face_

 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out_  
 _Oh, you're all I taste_  
 _At night inside of my mouth_  
 _Oh, you run away_  
 _Cause I am not what you found_  
 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _And I cannot get you out_

 _No, I cannot get you out_  
 _Oh, you're in my veins_  
 _No, I cannot get you out_  
 _No, I cannot get you_

 _._

\- Andrew Belle


	27. II: One

**I am so ecstatic over the positive reviews from Part I. It is with great pleasure that I introduce Part II: Veins. This is a prologue of sorts, recapping Nori's thoughts as if this is a separate book.**

 **Please leave thoughts and feedback. Your reviews give me motivation.**

* * *

When Jacob Black imprinted on me, everything changed.

For as long as I could remember, everything was as it should be. I was silently crushing on my best friend - Embry Call - while Jacob was pining after my older sister, who was way out of his league and never shied a glance towards him for any reason other than a friendly conversation. I always held out hope for the two, though. If they could end up together someday, then love was definitely possible for anyone.

And then, the Cullens came with their vampiric curse and sent the reservation into chaos with teenage boys morphing into giant wolves to fulfill some sort of Quileute destiny to protect their homeland. I could handle my friends all turning into furry creatures and running around in the woods at all hours of the day and night; what I couldn't handle was the soulmate sorcery.

One glance was all it took for my life to be turned upside down and twisted around in ways I'd never imagined. Everything was fan-freaking-tastic, and then bam! — I was Jacob's soulmate and there was nothing I could do about it.

Imprint, Sam called it. I was supposed to balance out Jacob's wolf. The problem was, Jacob was determined to fight it head on with no cares for how it would affect anyone else. He loved my sister and he was willing to fight tooth and nail.

I didn't blame him. I loved Embry and I wasn't about to just give up my friendship with him for some sort of rearranged relationship set by fate.

However, by the time I actually found out the secret of imprinting and Jacob's reason for avoiding me so much, I had already been to the hospital for nearly driving myself insane over the onslaught of emotions that fighting the imprint brought on. I felt like I was going crazy with each day that passed. My chest would burn as my mind would constantly flicker to thoughts of Jacob. I started seeing him in a new light, and I had the stupid imprint to thank for that.

Jacob continued to chase after my sister, even after her bloodsucking boyfriend returned from his near-suicidal escapade in Italy. As much as I loved Bella and understood where she was coming from — being torn between two men and whatnot — I couldn't help but be angry and annoyed with her for leading Jacob on. He didn't realize it, or he chose to ignore it and hold on to the sliver of hope he still had. Either way, Jacob continued to hang on to Bella, even while she clung to Edward Cullen as if her life depended upon whether the guy was there or not.

I was seriously regretting moving back home from boarding school, no matter how hard I tried to remind myself that Dad had needed me to come home and help him with Bella during her "zombie phase." It had been a complete nightmare ever since I stepped foot again on Washington soil.

But the funny thing was, I actually had hope that everything would be okay. It didn't matter that I was being torn apart between my best friend and my supposed soulmate. It didn't matter that my sister was going through a similar struggle - only, she didn't have strange legendary magic pulling her towards someone. And it didn't matter that a rogue vampire was on a mission to hunt Bella down and kill her for revenge.

Jacob and I were friends - somewhat. Embry and I were still the best of friends, with possibilities for a future. Bella was protected by both the wolves and the Cullen family. Even Dad had a date with Sue Clearwater.

Everything had changed, sure, but it was all going to be okay.

Fingers crossed.


	28. II: Two

**So, I have some bad news. The updates for Part I were relatively quick because I had written the entire first part before I ever posted online. However, Part II I am currently writing as I post. Therefore, updates may be a bit slower. I promise to write every chance I can, though! Just keep in mind that I am a junior in college, so I'm pretty swamped with work 102% of the time lol.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and give some feedback and ideas. Those of you who have reviewed with ideas so far have been amazing and have given me inspiration for where I want to take this story! c:**

* * *

Port Angeles was bustling with activity as I fought my way through the crowded department store downtown. Mom's birthday was in a week and if I wanted her present to be mailed on time, it needed to be done in the next few days. I hadn't planned on shopping until the last minute, but when Edward showed up to take Bella out and Dad was left to angrily stomp around the kitchen, I figured it was the perfect day to escape.

It had been three weeks since Jacob dropped Bella as his friend. She still called every day and passed notes through Dad to Billy and on to Jacob as if they were in elementary school and sometimes she would stare off into space and tear up, as if reminded of Jacob in some way. I felt sorry for her for losing her best friend - just the thought of losing Embry tore me to pieces, as well. Even with her burst of depression over Jacob, things seemed to fall back into place. She spent her days in school and at the Newtons' store, and any free time found her with Edward. As much as it annoyed me that she still tried to contact Jacob, I couldn't be angry with her. However, according to the pack, Jacob was taking it even harder than when she disappeared to Italy for three days with the vampires. That time, he only stuck to patrol duties and his house. Now, he refused to leave his bed.

Sam had resorted to ordering him to leave and phase for patrol, and even then, his mind was unbearable to be around. He was tormented by never-ending jumbled thoughts and self-loathing that drove the rest of the pack insane. Every day, Sam or another pack member called my phone or showed up at the door to beg me to talk to Jacob. "He needs you, Nori," they said. I knew better. He needed Bella, and he was going to suffer in his pity party until he got over her.

I took a deep breath to clear my head of Jacob-related thoughts and thumbed through a stack of piano sheet music, forgetting that my mother couldn't even play an instrument. If I had any extra money on me, I would have bought a few new pieces to learn at home just to keep my mind preoccupied.

"What about this?"

I glanced over my shoulder to see my newfound friend on the next aisle, holding a picture frame above the chest-high shelf. It was silver with a fake photograph in the center of the square showing a woman and child grinning at each other. Mommy & Me was scrawled in a funky black font at the bottom.

I scrunched up my nose and shook my head. "That's not really . . . my style?" To be honest, I wouldn't be caught dead with anything that cheesy; plus, the fact that I really had no photos of just my mother and me kind of proved that that wouldn't be a great gift.

Kim shrugged and set the frame back on the shelf. When I had called Embry that morning to see if he, Seth, or Quil wanted to go to Port Angeles with me, he had sadly informed me that the three had patrol all afternoon. Kim had been my second choice and she had eagerly agreed to drive the two of us here. Jared had tagged along, claiming that he couldn't let the two of us roam around the city without some form of protection. I knew that was an excuse to just spend his time with his imprint.

Jared and Kim were a mystery to me. He had bumped into Kim a few days after Jacob renounced his friendship with Bella and imprinted on the girl who was two years older than me - the same age as my sister. Apparently they had been in the same grade their entire lives and he had never noticed her. The moment he did, though, she took advantage of the opportunity and the two had been inseparable ever since.

Kim was the first female friend that I really bonded with. I had met her the week before when she showed up at Emily's with a freaked out Jared and a disbelieving expression painted across her face. Jared had gotten ahead of himself and spilled the beans only a week after imprinting. I thought for sure she would run away screaming after Emily explained the legends with me sitting by silently. Shocked wasn't even the word to describe myself when Kim turned to Jared and asked if that meant that he finally liked her as much as she had liked him since middle school.

I bit my lip to keep the frown from forming on my face as Jared returned from the restroom and crept up behind Kim, wrapping his long arms around her thin torso. He nuzzled her neck as she giggled and swatted at his head, murmuring things to him that were too low for me to hear. I didn't want to know, anyway. Seeing them openly accept the imprint so easily and find complete and utter happiness in each other only made me wonder if Jacob thought about me while he sat at home and smothered his feelings for Bella. I mentally chastised myself for even thinking of Jacob like that. We were just friends — if even that.

"Did you girls find anything yet?" Jared asked, glancing between us as he kept his arms around Kim's waist. I shook my head and resumed my search along the shelves for anything that looked like it would appeal to my mother. She was always an eccentric soul whom I never understood.

I poked at an ugly mantlepiece decoration made out of pine cones. Why was this so hard? I had never had a knack for gift buying, but it had never been this mind numbing before. Then again, I could usually go to the mall in Seattle and find whatever I needed. However, with the recent rash of homicides in the city, Dad had nearly popped the vein in his forehead as he ordered me to not go any farther than Port Angeles and stay close with whoever I went with.

"So, Nori. What's up with you and Embry?"

A small smile graced my face as I thought of my best friend. Embry Call had been by my side since we were kids, and I had crushed on him for almost as long. If he had been the one to imprint on me, I was sure that our story would have been similar to Kim and Jared's, except for the fact that Embry already knew me better than anyone else.

I shrugged and moved to the next aisle, which consisted of rows and rows of Hallmark cards. I lifted one under the sign for Birthday and played with the edges.

"He's my best friend. What else would be up?" I questioned Jared as I filtered through the cards with the generic birthday lines inside.

Jared grinned over the top of Kim's head as she picked up random items off of the shelf in front of her and inspected them.

"That's not what I heard," the pack member snickered. "Rumor has it that he has a thing for you."

Kim elbowed him. "Geeze, you're worse than a gossiping middle school girl. Don't tell her anything unless you're sure it's true."

I blushed and played with a flimsy card in my hands. As much as I liked Embry, I wasn't sure if I wanted to hear the details on his thoughts. My mind was a preoccupied mess lately with the imprint guiding my thoughts towards Jacob constantly and the fear of a rogue vampire coming for my sister and my family taking up the empty space left in my head.

"Well, I've been in his head, so I'm ninety-nine percent sure that's a valid source," Jared responded sarcastically, giving Kim a kiss to her hair as she laughed.

I quirked a brow. "What exactly have you heard in his head?"

Jared bit his lip and sighed. "Okay, I'm only doing this because I ship you guys and Jake's been an ass lately, but-"

"You ship us?" I couldn't help but laugh at that statement. Something about the fangirl language coming from the six foot five muscular giant just didn't make sense and brought a round of laughter from both Kim and I while Jared pouted.

"Shut up, Swan," Jared grumbled. "Kim says that a lot about those characters in her books."

Kim smiled sheepishly and caught my eye, hers twinkling with more laughter. I rolled my own jokingly. "Okay, okay. You were saying?"

"Whatever. Basically, Embry thinks about you a lot, and he's really good at hiding his thoughts - better than most of us, actually. But he's let a few things slip, like mushy stuff with you and things that I would think of Kim." He grinned down at his imprint before looking back up at me. "So, yeah. We all know he likes you. And since Jake is so determined to keep fighting the imprint, it's just a matter of time before you and Emmy Boy end up together."

I had no response to that. I knew that Embry had feelings for me - they were very much implied the night that he vaguely said he'd choose me if the imprint didn't exist. But the imprint still existed and I was eternally bound to a boy who loved my sister. How had I gotten so mixed up in this weird love rectangle?

Kim must have noticed my inner turmoil, because she immediately came to the rescue.

"Oh! You can't go wrong with candles." She pulled herself from Jared's embrace and rushed towards a table with a pyramid of candles on display, each with their own individual scent. I grinned and followed her, knowing in my gut that this would be the perfect present. My mother was obsessed with lighting candles for different reasons and rituals, and last time I visited, every room in the house had to have its own array of candles.

I hugged Kim from the side. "This is why I keep you around," I jokingly said. She giggled and hugged me back before we began picking up candles and smelling, holding them up for each other to test and decide which ones would be the best options. Jared stood on the other side of Kim, watching us with amusement written across his features and his arms crossed. He knew better than to dive into a candle sniffing fiasco with two weird kids like us.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Nori, is that you?"

I kicked the front door shut behind me and laid the two handfuls of shopping bags down by the kitchen counter. Dad was reclined in his chair, watching a baseball game from the looks of it.

"Yep," I called back, popping the 'p.' "Didn't you have to patrol tonight?" Dad and his deputies had a nightly ritual of patrolling the town - specifically the marina and empty parking lots. Kids liked to hang around and do stupid things after dark, and with such a large drug problem in the tiny county and the murder of a fisherman still unsolved after nearly a year, Dad was struggling to find ways to catch the crooks and clean up the city limits of Forks. I wished I could tell him that a pack of wolves were already protecting the town now, thanks to one's obsession with Bella and another's friendship with me. Sometimes being a part of two different worlds was really hard.

I fell down onto the sofa and propped my feet up on the coffee table as Dad took a swig of beer.

"Mark took my shift. I covered his last week when he had the flu."

I nodded and turned my attention to the game. "The Mariners playing?" I asked.

"Yup," he said, popping the 'p' just like I had. Like father, like daughter, I guess.

"Cool." I leaned back into the comfortable cushions and cheered alongside my father as I forgot about my supernatural problems for a short while and enjoyed this very human moment.


	29. II: Three

**WARNING: This chapter may contain insinuating content not suitable for young readers. Please read with caution.**

 **I'M SO EXCITED BECAUSE THE CHAPTER AFTER THIS WILL BE SO CUTE AND FLUFFY AND I CAN'T. Now, please enjoy this chapter and prepare yourselves for the next one.**

 **Also, I apologize for my writing. I have been extremely stressed out and I feel like my writing has been affected by it. It may not be as detailed or clear as usual. I promise that once spring break comes and I can breathe for a few days, I'll get back on track!**

 **Oh, and leave lots of awesome reviews! I really wish they would make this more like Facebook so I could comment back individually and talk to all of my reviewers, because I love you all so much!**

* * *

 _"Nori."_

 _I flinched at the sound of my name coming from his moaning mouth. Slobbery kisses trailed from my lips to my collarbone as I trembled. I hadn't imagined this happening today. Things had taken a much different turn than I had expected._

 _"Nori."_

 _A hand made its way down my arm, brushing down the goosebumps that had raised from the chilly weather. The sun was still shining down on us and, if I held my breath, I could still hear cars passing by on the highway._

 _"Nori."_

 _My heart lurched in my chest as he smirked against the soft skin of my neck and pressed himself harder against me, pushing my back farther into the rough bricks behind me. I rolled my eyes up to the sky as the shadow of a bird passed over us._

 _I wanted to be that bird. I wanted to fly away — far away — from the assault that was taking place against that cafeteria wall._

 _"Nori."_

"Nori."

My eyes opened and my body jerked slightly as I sucked in a deep breath. Dad was standing over me, a concerned look on his face and his hand on my shoulder.

"You okay, kid? I didn't mean to scare you."

I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment to control my heavy breathing and wiped the sweat from my brow. It had been over a year since I had last let those thoughts plague my dreams. It shook me up a little to have them come back so easily.

"Nori?"

Dad was leaning down, one hand propping himself on my bed and the other still gripping my shoulder. I gulped quickly and nodded to take the look of concern off of his face. He didn't need to worry. What was done was done. There was nothing he could do about it now.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a little nightmare," I explained nonchalantly, hoping he'd buy it and leave me alone to collect myself. I was still trembling.

He cocked a brow, but didn't say anything as he straightened and looked away. He just patted my shoulder and took a step backwards, towards my door.

"Come on downstairs for a second. There's something you oughtta see," he said before walking out the door. I pondered over his cryptic statement for a moment before crawling out from the mess of covers tangled around my legs and pulling my wild hair up into a high ponytail. I ran my hands over my face to smooth out the foundation I had applied that morning and wiped any excess mascara from under my eyes. I didn't bother changing from my lounge clothes of joggers and a t-shirt - my dad was probably going to show me the highlights of a game from last night or tell me _'that's_ _not where we leave our muddy shoes, kid.'_

The first floor was silent except for the washing machine running, and after calling for Dad a few times, I made my way out the front door. He was standing in the driveway, where a third car was parked alongside the cruiser and Bella's truck. It was a small four-door sedan with scuffed white paint and a few rust patches. As I walked closer, I could see a little blue emblem in the grill, showing that it was a Ford.

From the way Dad was grinning at me while leaning against the passenger side with his arms crossed, I knew something was up.

"Who died and left their car here?" I asked suspiciously as I eyed the rust showing through the paint on the hood. The car was nice enough, but definitely in need of some work. It wasn't familiar, though. I had no idea where it had come from.

Dad shrugged. "Happy early birthday. Or late christmas, whichever."

"What?"

Dad stepped away from the car and cleared his throat. "I just figured that this would be easier than hauling you down to the reservation all the time. I know you used to go with Bella, and now that the _Cullens_ are back, I - well." He scratched his head and motioned to the car. "I just don't want you hanging around them with her too much, so now you have your own transportation."

My breath caught in my throat as his words sunk in. This was _mine_? Suddenly, the rust and flaws didn't even seem like such a big deal. Everything about the car was perfect. And it was _mine._

"Ohmygosh, you're freaking awesome!" I squealed as I flung my arms around my dad's neck and squeezed the life out of him. He chuckled and patted my back before releasing me.

"I'd better be," he joked, running a hand over his mustache. "I had to haggle with David Shelton at the lot for two hours before he gave me a deal on this thing." He kicked a front tire lightly and ran a hand over the rusty hood. "It could still use a little work though."

I shrugged, unable to keep the smile off of my face. I was only sixteen and my dad had still bought me a car. Nothing could bring me down today.

"You should probably take it down to Billy's and have Jake take a look under the hood. Make sure everything is running right and such."

Except that.

The smile fell from my face at the thought of seeing Jacob while my heart lurched in my chest, betraying my conscious thoughts and feelings. I hadn't seen Jacob since the incident in the woods the day he ratted out Bella on the bikes, and even though we had come to the agreement to be somewhat friends so that the imprint would be a bit more bearable, we hadn't really lived up to that agreement. Jacob had retreated to his house after he cut off his friendship with Bella and I wasn't about to be the one to reach out and make this friendship happen. I had already stuck my neck out enough with demanding for him to agree to be my friend and treat me like I was human.

"I, uh, I'm sure it'll be fine." I shook my head and rubbed a large rust spot above the corroded right headlight. I really needed to fix that light before it got dark.

Dad sighed and crossed his arms again. "I don't want you breaking down, Nori. I'd feel better if Jake checked everything out first."

"Ja-" I cleared my throat as his name begged to leave my mouth. "He's probably busy. I don't want to bother him," I reasoned.

"Nori, get your butt in the car and go to the Blacks.'" He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet before handing over two twenties. "Give this to Jake. Maybe he can get some paint and take care of those rust patches."

Grimacing, I locked eyes with my father, determined to win in a glare off. He couldn't make me drive to La Push and spend God knows how long with my imprinter. I refused.

His stern, unblinking gaze burned into my own for a full twenty-three seconds . . . until a cool breeze blew straight into my eyes.

"Dammit!" I exclaimed as I blinked and slammed my hand down on the hood. Rust particles flew across the white paint like glitter, making me groan as I snatched the money from his hand.

Dad guffawed. "Don't mess with Papa Bear." He patted my shoulder and turned to walk back inside.

I rolled my eyes and muttered, "What a weirdo," as I walked to the driver's side and climbed in.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

With all the rain we'd had lately, Billy's driveway was nothing but a mudbogger's dream. I winced as my Vans sank into the muck as I jumped out. My Vans were my babies; seeing them drown in the soggy ground outside Jacob Black's door only made me want to sling my shoes at his stupid face and drive away.

I never should've come here.

"Nori?"

I jumped and glanced up at Billy Black, who had rolled out the front door onto the makeshift ramp. He smiled kindly down at me and I couldn't help but return the gesture.

"Well, uh, Dad wanted Jacob to look at my new car. You know, to make sure it won't konk out on me or anything," I explained while waving my hands around. I was acting like a nervous schoolgirl and it was driving me crazy. I had no reason to be nervous. Jacob was an acquaintance.

Deep down, I knew that I was really just afraid that he'd be a huge jerk and any progress we had made would be tossed out the window.

Billy motioned towards the back corner of the house that still had tarps slung over the dilapidated walls, where the garage sat a few yards away by the tree line. I bit my lip at the sight as the memories of when Jacob had saved my life and shoved a wolf-blown Paul into his sisters' old bedroom flooded my mind.

"He's in the shop. Just go on over there." Billy winked and rolled backwards, closing the door of the house as I willed the courage to just get the whole ordeal over with.

I took a deep breath and pictured Embry with his dimpled cheek, grinning at one of my stupid jokes for confidence and a reminder that he was the one for me, not some imprint-defined fate with Jacob. With that glorious picture in mind, I quickly made my way across the muddy yard and into the old garage.

Jacob was leaning over his Rabbit with his back to me as I peeked around the corner of the wide, open garage door. He was shirtless - as usual - and seemed to be covered in streaks of sweat and grease. I scrunched my nose up at the black gunk marring his skin. Gross.

"So, Charlie bought you a car?" he asked, breaking the silence and not even turning to acknowledge my entrance. I flinched at his voice, not expecting him to speak. Then, I felt like an idiot for forgetting about his supersonic hearing.

I nodded and mentally face palmed; he couldn't see me. Why was I such an awkward human?! "Yeah," I muttered, drawing out the word. "He doesn't want me bumming rides from Bella or the Cullens."

I didn't miss how Jacob's back tensed immediately and I momentarily felt bad for bringing up both parties. He was still having a tough time getting over my sister. I wasn't helping the situation.

"So, yeah, if you could check under the hood and make sure all of those gadgets and things work, that would be great," I continued as if I hadn't mentioned his arch nemesis and my sister. He twisted his arm and the sound of metal clinking echoed off of the walls. "Or, I could come back another time if you're busy," I trailed off, hoping he'd agree to that and I'd be able to go show off my car to Embry, Quil, and Seth.

Jacob stood and tossed a wrench onto a pile of tools on the ground to his right, between the wheel of his precious car and the weather beaten couch he kept out there for who knows what. I could see him imagining doing the dirty with my sister there.

Gah, I needed to stop thinking immediately.

"I've got time now." He turned and wiped his face with a rag from his back pocket before nodding his head towards me. "Go pull your car around."

"Can't you just check it really fast out there?" I shifted my weight to my left foot and shoved my hands into my jogger pockets. My heart was leaping with joy at the presence of Jacob, but I was feeling uncomfortable. I didn't know where we stood. I hated being in limbo with people.

He rolled his eyes and replaced the rag to his back pocket. "If you want me to actually do a good job, then it might take half an hour or longer." He slammed the hood of the Rabbit down. "I don't exactly feel like getting rained on."

Glancing up at the sky, I couldn't disagree. The clouds had rolled in and an afternoon thunderstorm was likely. I really hated thunderstorms.

"Okay, okay," I grumbled, crossing my arms as he hopped into the driver's seat of his car and started it up. I headed back across the yard towards my little white junker that still needed a name as Jacob pulled his car out of the garage.

As annoyed as I was for being stuck here with him in all my confusion, I was still a bit thankful that he was kind enough to put his own agenda aside and help me out. It was new to me.

I carefully drove through the yard and around the side to back into the garage. Jacob had parked the Rabbit off to the side and was watching me with his arms crossed.

A wave of anxiety washed over me. With him watching me and my shitty skills at reversing a car straight, I knew that this would end in disaster.

I threw the gearshift into park and hopped out. "Okay, if you want your garage to stay upright and my car to come out unscathed, you should probably back it in there," I admitted quickly with a sheepish look as I stepped away from the car.

Jacob snorted, but said nothing as he walked around the car and folded his large body into my little car. It was a four-door, making it a good bit larger than his Rabbit, but he still looked like a giant in a midget's vehicle. It was almost comical.

He easily backed the car in without wrecking whatsoever and climbed out, leaving the engine running. I was shocked with the gentleness he treated the door when he closed it lightly and propped the hood up.

I lounged across the couch and blocked out thoughts of Jacob and Bella here with thoughts of what Embry and Quil were up to as Jacob began tinkering with things under the hood.

I had never really sat and watched Jacob Black for more than a few seconds. Seeing him intently gazing down at the engine, the spark of excitement and passion in his eyes as he did what he loved, the sweat glistening on his russet skin and plastering his dark hair onto the edge of his forehead - it fascinated me.

I pretended to play with my flip phone as I watched him unabashedly. He was too focused on the moving belts and other machinery to even notice my eyes on him as he blew through half an hour of checking every detail under the hood.

"So, how does it look?" I asked after the longest forty-five minutes of storing silently at him. I was itching to just ask him if we were friends now so I could either relax in his presence or go back to avoiding him.

He shrugged, his eyes only momentarily flickering up to meet mine before returning to the engine. "Seems fine. You've got a belt that's pretty dry-rotted, though."

I waited a moment for him to elaborate, but he didn't say anything as he moved around the car to cut the engine off.

"In case you forgot, I'm a Swan." I sat up and swung my legs around to the ground so I could lean forward and rest my forearms on my thighs. "We know nothing about cars and dry-rotted belts."

Jacob snorted and shot me the tiniest of grins before pointing to something under the hood. "If you don't change that, it'll start squealing like crazy," he explained. "Then it'll snap and blow your engine."

I blanched. "Noooo," I whined softly and stood to join Jacob in front of my baby. "How much would it cost to change it?" I leaned over the hood to look at the black belt that Jacob pointed out.

Jacob shrugged and flicked at the belt. "I'll do it for free. We just have to buy the belt, but they're only like twenty or thirty bucks."

I reached into my pocket and grasped the money Dad had handed over earlier. "Well, I've got forty. Wanna go to Carquest?" I neatly unfolded the bills and refolded them in a perfect square.

Jacob lowered the hood. "Yeah, sure. Let me just get a shirt first," he chuckled as I rolled my eyes and grinned.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Ohmygod," I groaned dramatically. "Ask the guy up front for help!"

Jacob waved me off and grabbed a package off of the shelf. "I don't need help," he grumbled.

That was a lie. We had been on the same aisle for a good twenty minutes while Jacob tried to decide which belt would fit my car. He was determined to do this on his own, which was extremely annoying since he was taking his sweet time.

"It's a '90 model, right?"

I sighed. "For the millionth time, _yes_. 1990 Ford Laser Sedan." I rested my forehead against the shelf and sighed again as Jacob replaced one package and grabbed another. "You know, the guy up there has a computer that can tell you exactly which belt to get. It won't take more than five minutes."

"He'll only show you the most expensive belt," Jacob huffed. "Just trust me on this."

Something about the way Jacob asked me to trust him on this tickled my heartstrings. It was strange, trusting Jacob Black after all that we had gone through with the imprint in the past few months. With the way he was treating me, it was as if he had accepted the fact that we were going to be friends. It made me feel warm inside that he had possibly decided to give this friendship a chance.

"Jacob?" I asked timidly.

"Hm?" He didn't look up from the package in his hands.

"What are we?" I lifted my forehead from the metal shelf edge and rubbed at the indention in my skin, mentally cursing myself for even doing that. I would have to deal with a giant red spot for the next half hour.

Jacob's head snapped up and his eyes met mine in confusion. My breathing stopped and I forcibly swallowed. I could sense that he had completely taken my question the wrong way and was about to snap at me or say something about my sister.

I quickly shook my head. "I mean, are we friends or are we still, like, I don't know," I trailed off, waving my hands awkwardly in the air. "I'm just curious and I'm making no sense so ignore me." I hated how I tended to ramble when I found myself in awkward situations.

Jacob stared at me for another five seconds before his shocked glare softened. "I told you I'd be your friend. I don't break my promises," he murmured. "You're kind of growing on me."

"You make me sound like a damn fungus." I shoved his arm playfully like I would with any of my other friends.

He laughed. "Hey, you're not _that_ bad," he joked, and for the tiniest moment, when he turned to grin at me, I could almost see that sunniness return to his eyes. For a split second, it was almost like the old Jacob who used to come over in the summers and sit on our couch with the guys and watch the game with our fathers. I didn't mind that Jacob. It was the angry wolf Jacob who drove me up the wall.

He held up the package in his hands. "I'm pretty sure this one will work."

I snorted. "Fingers crossed."

He shoved my shoulder lightly with a quiet, "Shut up." I had to bite my lip to hide my smile.

The elated feeling in my chest made me want to scream in happiness to the world. Things were finally looking up. If Jacob and I choosing to be friends made me feel this good in one day, I could only imagine how great things would be for now on. No more burning in my chest and scratching or rollercoaster emotions. Jacob and I could function normally and keep this friendship while he continued to pine after Bella and I continued to crush on Embry.

As Jacob paid for the belt and I leaned against the counter, I contemplated the future of our friendship and relationships and prayed that everything would work out just the way I hoped.


	30. II: Four

**I had way too much fun writing this chapter. I hope you guys like it!**

 **Also, just by a show of hands (or comments), which pairing is your favorite: Embry/Nori or Jacob/Nori? I'm just curious. I do have the entire story planned out already, but it's kind of fun to see which direction you guys think Nori will go xD**

 **Anyway, please review and keep giving ideas and feedback. You guys are rad!**

* * *

Jacob called that Monday to see if the car was still running fine. He didn't ask for me; instead, he asked questions through my father, who tried his best to hand over the phone, but ended up playing mediator and called out the questions to me while I lounged on the couch. It was ridiculous, really. Jacob had no reason to be afraid of talking to me. My father must have felt the same way, because while he answered Jacob's questions about the car for me, he kept his lips pursed and drummed his fingers against the counter. After assuring Jacob that my car was running like new and he was the best damn mechanic around, Dad hung up and muttered, "Jacob Black needs to grow a pair."

I couldn't agree more.

The next morning, Dad spent an hour on the phone fussing with Billy Black before agreeing to head down to the reservation that weekend for an afternoon of football with all of the guys. From the sound of it, most of the pack would be there. I wondered if I was invited, but thinking of being in the same room with both Embry and Jacob now that I was trying to have a friendship with both was too awkward to even imagine. Staying at home in bed seemed to be a better option.

Edward came over with Bella after school and did "homework" in her room. I didn't hear a peep from the two, but it didn't stop me from wondering if they were up to more than studying like the good kids they made themselves out to be.

They didn't reappear until Dad arrived back home from work, half an hour before Bella had a stroganoff prepared and on the table. I took my plate up to my room with the excuse that I had homework of my own to do online. With the way Bella kept fidgeting and Edward kept glancing around the table, I had a feeling that something was up. That, coupled with my unease of being so close to a vampire — not that Edward had given me any reason to not trust him; I was just on my guard — I decided I didn't want to sit at the table and witness whatever was about to go down. I'd had enough drama to last a lifetime. I didn't need Bella's drama added on to it.

I shoved a forkful of stroganoff into my mouth as _Friends_ played on the old television sitting on top of my dresser. A fuzzy line ran through the middle of the screen, distorting the picture a bit, but I had learned to live with it after Dad told me to either take it or leave it.

"They were on a freaking _break_ ," I grumbled around a mouthful of pasta as voices from downstairs began to rise up to the second floor. I recognized my father's voice, stern and gravelly as he tried to put his foot down over something.

" _You're not going anywhere with him, young lady!_ " he yelled fiercely, as if he could suddenly control what my sister did and didn't do.

I snickered to myself and took another bite of stroganoff.

Five minutes later, the front door slammed shut. A car started outside, and judging by the smooth sound of the engine coming to life, it wasn't one of our cars or Bella's truck. I assumed Edward had left and the storm downstairs had calmed enough for me to emerge from my room.

Grabbing my empty plate and half-full cup of soda, I headed downstairs.

Something went flying across the living room just as I stepped off of the last step. Only when it bounced against the wall and fell to the ground three feet to my left did I realize that Dad had slung a plastic coaster in anger from his place in the recliner.

"Whoah, killer," I joked before putting my plate in the kitchen sink and returning to the living room. Dad's face was tinged in red splotches, and I could only imagine how angry he must have been for it to still have a residue of color. Bella must have left with Edward, because there was no sign of her anywhere.

"So, what did I miss?" I asked carefully, eyeing my father as I took a seat on the couch and drank from the cup still in my hand.

Dad held the remote up to change the channel as he ground out between clenched teeth, "Your sister and her _boyfriend_ have decided to go to Florida together."

I almost burst into laughter. Bella wanted to take a sparkling vampire to a state where the sun would be shining almost constantly? This was sure to end in disaster.

"Well, that sounds . . . fun. Why Florida?" I implored as I leaned forward and sat my drink down before curling up in a ball on my side and wrapping the throw from the back of the couch around my body.

"They're going to see your mom."

I blinked. "And that's bad because . . .?"

Dad huffed in annoyance. "It's _bad_ because that boy isn't a good influence on her. Bella has never raised her voice before and suddenly, she's acting out and running away to foreign countries!" Dad threw his hands up in the air. "I don't know what to do with her anymore."

Biting my lip, I watched the players run around on the screen for a moment as I chose my words carefully. I wasn't Bella's biggest fan at the moment still because of the Jacob situation, but I felt that something needed to be said on her behalf.

"You know," I began quietly. "You're right. Bella has never really even _had_ a voice before. She was always so quiet and kept to herself. I mean, she never even really had friends in Arizona when she lived with Mom." I sat up and wrapped my arms around my knees, letting the blanket drape over my shoulders. "But here, she's got friends. She's pretty popular at school, if you think about it. And she found a guy whom she really likes. He isn't on drugs. He isn't in a gang. Hell, he's got more balls than Jacob does because he's at least made the decision to pursue Bella and stuck to it." I waved my hand flippantly.

"Well . . ." Dad trailed off. "I guess you're right about that one."

I smirked. "I'm always right. And Bella is finally coming out of her shell. She's an adult now, Dad. You've got to learn to cut her some slack."

He opened his mouth to retort, but I jumped in quickly before he could say a word. "I don't mean let her run off to Italy and disappear again. That was insane. I still want to smack some sense into her for that," I admitted with a sigh. "Just give her the benefit of the doubt, Dad. She's always been a responsible person. You can't hold a few bad decisions against her forever."

Dad stared intently at the television without saying a word for the longest time while I sat there in silence, waiting for some sort of response. I wasn't sure if I had offended him with my words or annoyed him with the way I had sided with Bella, but honestly, either way, I didn't care. He was an adult. He would have to learn to get over it, just like he'd have to learn to get over Bella's past discretions.

I stood to take my empty cup to the kitchen and head back upstairs when his voice stopped me in my tracks.

"I think you grew up faster than she did."

I didn't say anything back. I simply tossed the cup into the sink and climbed the stairs in silence because, to be honest, I agreed with my father.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Edward and Bella left for Florida on Friday. Dad had insisted he accompany them to the airport to see Bella off, and Edward's parents had come along as well. I stayed home. Huge crowds made me uncomfortable, and while the idea that Carlisle and Esme Cullen may decide to snack on Dad in the parking lot before they parted ways nagged me in the back of my mind, I tried to think rationally and remind myself that they were too focused on keeping up their human charade and would never harm anyone Bella knew — unless they were a wolf or Bella herself.

I was decked out in comfortable yoga capris, wool socks bunched around my ankles, and a baggy t-shirt as I pigged out on junk food and binge watched _The Golden Girls_ on Hallmark Channel. My period had started that morning, leaving me in gut wrenching pain from my belly button to my knees and no motivation to do anything but lay around all day.

I really hated mother nature with a passion.

"Well don't you look cozy."

I screamed and jumped to my feet, knocking the bag of chips all over the floor in my haste to confront whoever was in my house. I held a fork I had been using to eat cheesecake out as a weapon, ready to attack the attacker.

Two boys stood behind the couch by the back door, their hands raised in surrender and smirks on their faces. It was comical how much they looked alike now, with their giant statures, massive muscles, and cropped black hair.

"Damn, Nori. No need to go all psycho on us," Quil laughed as he leaped over the couch and picked up the chips that had fallen on the carpet, shoving them into his mouth as he plopped down unceremoniously.

"Ew, Quil!" I whined in disgust at him eating off of my floor.

He rolled his eyes. "Five second rule." I scowled at that notion.

Embry wrapped an arm around my waist from behind and fell onto the couch, pulling me down with him. Our feet were now on Quil's lap, but he didn't seem to mind. He was too busy stuffing his face with chips and flipping the channel.

"Dammit, Quil! I was watching that," I grumbled. I wasn't in the best of moods, what with the pain in my abdomen and the frustration with supernatural creatures always showing up in my house unannounced. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, Nor," Embry muttered sarcastically underneath me before chuckling.

I smacked his chest lightly before resting my head over his heart, listening to it beat wildly. I wondered if it was a werewolf thing, or if he was just nervous.

"You broke into my house. I have a right to know."

Quil wiped his cheesy fingers on my sock-covered feet. "Doesn't count if we used the spare key."

I had completely forgotten about there being a spare key hidden under the mat by the back door. Dad had done that for emergency cases, on the off chance that we locked ourselves out of the house. That had only happened one time, and Embry had been with us when we retrieved the spare key from the back.

I turned my glare onto my best friend, who was comfortably sprawled underneath me with one arm around the back of his head as a pillow and the other wrapped loosly around my back.

He sent me a cheeky smile.

"I don't like you anymore," I announced as I pushed myself off of him and gathered the empty container for the cheesecake and other trash. I flounced into the kitchen and tossed the handful of things into the garbage before returning to the living room. I sat cross-legged in Dad's recliner and rocked gently.

"Aw, come on, Nori. We just wanted to see how you were. Charlie told Billy about Bella and old leech lover going to Florida today and you would be home alone." Embry sighed. "We can't patrol over here anymore since the Cullens are back, but we can be here in human form to watch over you while your dad is gone."

I stopped rocking, but the chair still swayed slightly as I stared my friends down in shock. "You can't patrol over here anymore?"

Both boys looked at me, and only then did I realize I had practically screamed the words. The fear of the red-headed vampire coming after us only grew tenfold. Now, I didn't have the wolves out in the woods to calm my nerves at night.

I didn't want to voice my fears and sound stupid, though, so I took a deep breath and shrugged. "I guess I'll just have to spend more time on the rez with you guys, then."

Quil shoved another handful of cheesy Doritos in his mouth before crumpling the empty bag into a ball. Freaking werewolves and their insane appetites. That was the only bag of Doritos we had.

"That's fine with me," he said through a mouthful of chips, crumbs spraying out as he spoke. "If it'll shut Embry up."

Embry sat up and smacked Quil on the back of the head with a glare.

"I'm kidding!" Quil exclaimed after swallowing. "I love Nori, too, you know."

I could feel my heart accelerate at Quil's words, but with the way Embry was blushing and because I was too awkward for those kinds of conversations or confrontations, I kept my mouth shut and grabbed the remote from Quil's hand before plopping back onto the recliner and changing the channel back to my marathon of The Golden Girls. My abdomen was cramping again and the sudden feeling of nausea overcame me, so I curled into a ball and rested my head on the arm of the chair while the boys fought over junk food.

Hearing everyone talk about Embry's feelings for me lately had me wondering if I should act on them. I mean, I returned his feelings. We would make a great couple, I thought. We already acted like we were married half of the time, anyway. I had imagined being his girlfriend for the longest time now, and my chance might have finally come.

 _But what_ _about_ _Jacob?_

I grimaced at the thought of him and as another wave of pain echoed through my lower body. Jacob was a decent guy. We were working on a friendship. I didn't need to be his girlfriend to appease the imprint, did I? If we had survived this far, we could continue as we were.

I didn't like the sound of that, but I also didn't like the thought of missing a chance with Embry.

"Hey, Nori? Are you okay?"

I moved my head so I could see the guys. Quil had moved on to the bag of Cheetos and both boys were eyeing me. Embry seemed genuinely worried while Quil was too busy shoving more food in his face for me to tell if he was seriously worried or just looking at me since Embry had said something.

Groaning, I shook my head. "Mother Nature is a bitch. Be happy with your vagina-free selves," I muttered as I turned my attention back to the television.

Quil barked out a laugh at my predicament while Embry stood and left the room. I bit back the sadness at the thought of him leaving because of me admitting that I was bleeding to death over here for the next week. It was normal. It was a part of who I was. It was how being a woman worked.

A shadow loomed over me as I inspected my severely picked-at fingertips. I looked up to see Embry smiling softly down at me and holding a bowl of ice cream loaded in chocolate syrup and a heating pad.

I cocked a brow at him. "What is that?"

He handed over the ice cream and played with the heating pad. I glanced at Quil, who was holding a hand over his face to hide his laughter as he watched television.

"Well, this is going to sound weird, but when my mom is all — you know." He waved his hands towards my belly and shrugged. "She always uses a heating pad. I guess it makes it better or something. And I know how much you like ice cream, so I just put extra chocolate on it since girls seem to like chocolate when they're all — you know." He bit his lip and averted his eyes as a blush coated his cheeks.

I couldn't handle how adorable he looked. What had come over him? Embry had never been awkward or the rambling type around me before. I was thoroughly confused.

"Oh, for the love of God, would you ask her already?" Quil cried, throwing his hands up in the air while still clutching the bag of Cheetos.

Embry blushed even darker and glared at his friend. I glanced between the two.

"Ask me what?"

Quil sighed and sent Embry a pointed look. I sat the bowl of ice cream down in my lap while Embry crouched to plug in the heating pad. He handed me the heated end and straightened as I laid the heated portion over my abdomen. As soon as the warmth reached my skin, it began soothing the aching pain. I would have given my best friend a bear hug in that moment if he and Quil weren't in the middle of a stare down as I continued to flicker my gaze between them.

"Would somebody tell me what the heck is going on?" I finally demanded after a full ten seconds of silence.

Embry shook his head immediately as he said, "N-Nothing's going on. Quil's just b-being an idiot. D-Don't even worry abou-"

"Embry came here to ask you out and I came along for moral support," Quil announced, interrupting Embry's stuttered words. I stared wide-eyed at the two of them, curious for more information.

"Is this true?" I asked Embry, who was gazing down at his feet and blushing up a storm now. He shrugged and bit his lip. My mind couldn't believe that he was being so awkward and shy in front of me. It just wasn't Embry.

I rolled my eyes and looked at Quil, who was laughing at his friend. "Man, just do it! It's _Nori_. She won't bite your head off, geeze."

"Quil, shut up and go somewhere," I snapped, seeing how his teasing wasn't helping the situation. Poor Embry was dying of humiliation and nervousness, and now that I understood why, I wanted nothing more than to help my friend. It didn't even matter that he had totally screwed up this whole "asking out" thing. I was giddy as could be, despite the annoying cramps and throbbing pain.

Quil mumbled something around a mouthful of food and headed out the back door, patting my head affectionately as he went. I swatted at his hand and rolled my eyes.

As soon as the door closed, Embry's eyes met mine.

"I'm so sorry. That wasn't how any of this was supposed to go."

I scooted over as far as I possibly could and patted the space between me and the arm of the chair before taking a spoonful of ice cream and tasting the chocolate and vanilla concoction. It was pure heaven. Embry gave a small smile and squished his butt in the space, which really only resulted in me sitting halfway in his lap. I twisted sideways so my legs were draped over his thighs and I could look him in the eye.

"How was it supposed to go?" I asked, hoping he'd take the bait and go through with whatever plan he'd had before Quil embarrassed him.

Stupid Quil. I loved the booger anyway, though.

Embry bit his lip, but the way his eyes lit up made me believe he had read into the hidden meaning behind my words. He shifted and ran a hand through his hair. He had cut it again and I missed the way it had draped over his forehead slightly. Now, it was shaved short on the sides, with just a little length on the top to run his fingers through. It was attractive on him and distracting to me.

"Well, I was going to ask you to go for a walk with me so Quil wouldn't be around. _However_ ," he rolled his eyes towards the couch where Quil had been before. "I think this is more cozy, anyway."

I smiled at that and clasped my hands around the bowl in my lap as he played with a tiny hole in the knee of my yoga pants.

"Do you remember when we were eleven and I punched Isaiah Grayfoot when he called you a 'pale face?'"

I nodded, scrunching my brows together in confusion as he chewed on his bottom lip and moved his eyes from the hole in my knee to my own brown eyes.

Embry had always had the most beautiful shade of brown and green eyes I had ever seen. His heterochromia made him so unique. Of course, that was before Jacob imprinted on me and I suddenly realized how wonderfully brown a pair of eyes could be. But Embry's eyes were still perfect to me. One was a hazel brown, with flecks of green and amber swirling together, while the other was a vivid green. I wanted to drown in them forever.

"That was the day that I realized I liked you as more than a friend. Nori," he sucked in a deep breath and took my hand in his. "I think I'm in love with you. I've never felt like this about anyone and I don't think I ever will."

His eyes stared into mine, hopeful and waiting. I wanted to throw my arms around his neck and proclaim my love in return so that he'd know that we were as good as gold. I bit back the grin forming on my face and squeezed his hand, the heat from his burning into my frozen fingertips that had been clutching the bowl of ice cream. "Embry—"

"If you're worried about the imprint, just know that I don't care about it," he admitted reverently. "Jake is determined to fight it, so I'm not going to waste my chance." He was speaking so fast, but his words were strong and firm. He meant every single one of them. I could tell by the way his forehead was creased and his eyes were burning into mine. "I just want you, Nori. I want you to have and to hold from this day forward."

I let the smile break through on my face as I teasingly responded with, "This is starting to sound like a marriage vow."

Embry rolled his eyes and playfully shoved me, keeping my hand interlocked in his. "You know what I meant."

I nodded as I realized what I needed to tell him. The smile wavered on my face and Embry's eyes dimmed as they watched it fall. "Em, you should know a few things before you make a decision." I squeezed his hand. He squeezed back and began rubbing the back of my hand with his other one that wasn't interlocked. "Jacob and I are trying to be friends. It makes this entire imprint thing so much easier to handle if we see each other and act civilly. I'm ninety-nine percent positive that he's still set on my sister, so no worries there," I assured with a forced laugh. "But, the imprint does make me feel things for him. I think about him and worry for his safety. That doesn't mean I love him — honestly, if you compare, I think of you just as often and there aren't any supernatural forces binding you and me together. I've been in love with you since I was seven years old and that's not changing anytime soon." I met his eyes, which were burning with hope. "I'm only saying all of this so you'll know what you're getting yourself into. I love you, Embry. But the imprint has claimed a piece of me for him, too."

Embry swallowed hard and nodded, but the light never left his eyes. "I understand that. It's not going to be as easy as it would have been if the imprint never existed. But I don't care, Nori. I love you either way."

With that declaration, I let the full blown grin stretch across my face. Embry's followed and he gathered me in his arms in a tight bear hug. I inhaled his warm cinnamon scent as butterflies danced around in my stomach and climbed up my throat with anxiety and nerves. Embry's face was buried in my neck, planting chaste kisses and squeezing me tighter with each one.

A sudden thought hit me and I pushed him back. "Wait, wait, wait. What did you have to ask me?"

Embry furrowed his brows in confusion before realization dawned on him and he grinned. "I wanted to ask you out for next Friday. The pack is having a bonfire and I wanted you to be my date."

My heart swelled. I felt as giddy as most women felt over a marriage proposal. I had waited for this moment for a long time and it had finally arrived. I wanted to bounce around and nod frantically and squeal like a two year old, but I settled with a grin that was sure to break my face and stirred the melting ice cream, averting my eyes. "I'd love that," I said quietly, shyness overtaking me.

This was really happening.

Embry and I were seriously doing this. We could be that couple I had always dreamed of us being and live our lives as if nothing had come between us before. The werewolf thing didn't matter. My sister didn't matter. Even the damn imprint couldn't stop us.

We could overcome. I just knew it.

Embry leaned forward and kissed my cheek sweetly. "You just made me the happiest guy ever, Nori Swan."


	31. II: Five

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"You ready, kid?"

Dad stood in the doorway of my room with a grocery bag full of new bags of chips in one hand and the cruiser's keys in the other. It was a little after one in the afternoon, and the game started at two. He had promised Billy Black that we'd join them and practically everyone from the pack at the Blacks' house for the game. Dad thought it was just a fun day of baseball; I was worried that it was a way to get us onto the reservation for some reason involving a vampire.

I checked my flat iron to be sure I had turned it off so it wouldn't burn the house down while we were gone and turned to follow my dad down the stairs.

I was a little nervous about going to the Blacks the day after I had agreed to attempt a relationship with Embry. I had no idea how Jacob would react. I mean, I seriously doubted that he would do anything other than possibly wolf out, but a little piece of me was terrified that he would try to kill Embry or do something drastic of that sort. I could only hope that I would have enough imprint power to prevent anyone from getting hurt.

Because of my nerves, I had paced around my room for half of the morning before I decided to put some effort into fixing the rat's nest I considered my hair. I spent an hour straightening it to perfection and even took an extra few minutes to apply dramatic winged eyeliner that I rarely ever had the time for. It was June and the world of Washington had warmed up to a solid seventy-four degrees for the day, meaning I could break out the black high waisted shorts I had bought on my shopping trip with Kim in Port Angeles. I had tucked in a black and white striped cotton shirt that Mom had sent me for Christmas two years ago. It was one of the few things she'd ever gotten me that I'd liked.

"You know, you've gotten really pretty, Nori," Dad mumbled as he backed out of the driveway. "I hope you know that."

I lazily moved my gaze over to him with a cocked brow. "You're really sentimental today," I said with a laugh. "What's up with that?"

Dad shrugged and turned right at the stop sign, putting us on the road towards La Push. "I just, uh — well, you're getting to be, uh, _that_ age and I—" He cleared his throat. "I know you hang around the boys at the rez a lot, and I'm just worried that you'll, uh, well," He scrunched his face up, his mustache tickling the bottom of his nose as he inhaled loudly. "Just don't let any guy ever pressure you into anything, okay?" he said really fast, as if he was worried that if he didn't spew the words out there in the next second, he never would.

A blush creeped up my neck and covered my cheeks as I realized what he was talking about. I laughed incredulously and looked out the window as I silently wished I could throw myself out of this car and pretend I had never had this conversation with my _father_ of all people. My amazingly awkward father.

"Dad, you don't have to, um, I haven't —" I shook my head, mentally cursing myself for having Dad's awkward genes as my cheeks burned hotter. "I'm a 'wait for marriage' kind of person," I mumbled. "And I'm not afraid to, um, kick someone in the dick."

Dad guffawed and clapped me on the shoulder. We were both blushing from the conversation, but hearing him laugh at my confession brought a grin to my face and an eye roll.

"I knew I raised you right," he said before turning up the radio, ending the weirdest sex talk I had ever imagined and leaving us to silently cool our cheeks off.

-/-/-/-/-/-

The Blacks' tiny house was packed full of people by the time we arrived. Sam's truck and Kim's little car were in the driveway, but I could already see Quil and Embry through the window. The wolves must have all run here.

A sedan pulled into the yard behind the cruiser as we climbed out of the car. Sue Clearwater was looking over her makeup in the flip down visor. I was a bit surprised to see the older woman here. She had never really come to the games before.

I wondered if she just needed this piece of Harry's life now that he was gone.

Dad made eye contact with me over the top of the cruiser and motioned his head towards the house, mouthing, _Go on._ I did as he asked, only glancing over my shoulder when I reached the door to see Dad standing in the doorway of Sue's car, leaning down as he spoke to her. I smiled softly at the sight. Sue was a strong woman, but she still needed someone to be there for her during this time. Her kids were wolves and her husband was dead. I was just glad my dad could be a shoulder for her, even if he didn't know half of what was going on.

"Nori-Nor!"

Quil launched his massive body at me as soon as I walked inside and lifted me off of the ground as he began speaking animatedly. "You should have been there, Nori! Paul nearly tore a Cullen leech apart when it crossed the border, and the redhead just danced around everyone and caused the fight. We would've started a war if Sam and Dr. Fang hadn't calmed everyone down and—"

"Whoah, whoah, whoah, what?" I pushed myself away from Quil's chest so that I could see his face as he put me back on my feet. "What happened?"

Embry walked up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling my back to his chest as he lifted me and spun me away from Quil before leading me to the couch, where Sam and Seth were sitting. Jared and Kim had taken over the overstuffed chair and Billy had positioned his wheelchair on the other side of the couch so he could see the television as well. An empty plate with chocolate smudges was set on the coffee table. I assumed that Emily was in the kitchen, making another batch of cookies for the hungry hoard.

Embry pulled me down onto the arm of the couch, letting me throw my legs over his lap and lean on his shoulder.

"Okay, so what happened?" I asked again.

Embry snorted. "We were chasing the redheaded leech when the Cullens showed up at the border. Apparently, they were chasing her, too." I shivered at the thought and silently thanked the Cullens for protecting from the Forks side. I still had a fear of the redhead showing up at our house and eating my family.

"We were closing in when one of the Cullens — the big one that's always laughing — lunged at her at the same time that Paul did. They basically collided and Paul freaked. He almost killed the Cullen guy and everyone kind of stopped. The redhead disappeared and Sam and Carlisle had to make compromises and calm everyone down before a fight bro—"

The door opened and Dad walked in with Sue Clearwater, both toting handfuls of food and plates. Embry's mouth clamped shut, but I nodded, telling him silently that I understood the gist of what had happened. I could feel my fingers shaking a little as the fear of nearly losing my friends to a stupid fight hit me. I hated treaties and borders and enemies and the supernatural. None of them deserved any of this. None of them deserved to die over misunderstandings and pride.

I really hated the Cullens for coming to Forks and starting this mess. I wanted to throttle my sister for keeping company with a vampire.

"Nori, Kim! Why don't you girls come and help Emily and I out?" Sue suggested as she and Dad walked through the room and disappeared into the kitchen.

I glanced at Kim, who pouted and kissed Jared's cheek shyly. He grinned at her and pressed kisses all over the side of her face, earning a bright smile from the girl.

I swallowed down my jealousy and kissed the side of Embry's head. I had never been an over affectionate kind of person. I didn't particularly like slobbery kisses and cuddles and an abundance of touching in front of an audience. That wasn't me. However, a part of me wanted that. A strange part of me that had never existed before.

Embry grinned up at me and winked. I had kind of hoped he would kiss all over my face like Jared had done for Kim. But they had been dating longer. We had barely made it twenty-four hours.

Emily was leaning over the counter, mixing ingredients in a bowl. She had flour dusting her cheeks and dark blue blouse, but she didn't seem to care. She loved cooking and baking and everything kitchen-related. This was her home away from home.

"I've brought reinforcements," Sue announced as she and Dad placed food on the small, round kitchen table. She shooed Dad out while he grunted and shot her a grin that I didn't miss. My dad was crushing hard and it was the cutest thing I had ever seen.

"Nori, you and Kim start dicing those tomatoes and shred the lettuce. Sue, can you defrost the ground beef? It's in the freezer." Emily tossed out orders as she placed rounded balls of dough and chocolate chips on a cookie sheet.

We got to work, preparing food for the pack of wolves that would be starving soon. As much as I enjoyed hanging out with the girls, I really hated that I was missing the game and time hanging with the guys. I had always fit in more with the guys; it felt strange to be one of the girls now.

Kim was carefully dicing tomatoes while I quickly sped through shredding the lettuce into strips with my own knife. The back door opened to my right and Paul and Leah came bursting through, arguing heatedly while Sue tried to chastise them for their language. She was ignored.

"Come on, _Lee-Lee_ ," Paul mocked with a cruel laugh. The girl spun around, fire in her eyes at the nickname.

"Don't fucking call me that," she snapped, half screaming as she threw her fists into his chest, shoving him backwards—

— and straight into me.

Paul's massive body collided with mine as I sliced into a chunk of lettuce, pushing the arm that I held the knife in and letting the sharp blade move to slide over my left hand instead of the lettuce.

"Dammit, Paul!" I gasped as I elbowed him in the back in an effort to shove him away from me. Blood flowed from the gash on the back of my hand that started below my middle knuckle and moved down to the junction of my wrist and the end of my thumb bone in a straight three-inch line.

Paul's body weight disappeared in a split second as Kim hurriedly handed me a dish towel to cover my hand and soak up the blood. I turned, clutching my hand, to see that Jacob had entered the room and was standing a few inches away, positioned between me and Paul — who was now sprawled on the floor a few feet away. Leah was staring at me with worried eyes, but her face was still as hard as stone.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Jacob cut her off. "Shut up and get out of here," he muttered darkly to both of the other wolves that he had just been on patrol with. Leah nodded before darting out the back door, while Paul pulled himself to his feet, shot me an apologetic look, and disappeared into the living room with the others.

As soon as the wolves were gone and the tension had faded, the women kicked into action.

"Honey, are you okay?" Sue exclaimed as she and Emily dropped what they were doing and rushed to my side. Emily saw the blood and quickly turned to search for the first aid kit while Sue ordered Kim to go fetch some rubbing alcohol from the hall bathroom.

Jacob took my shoulders in his warm hands, sending tingling sensations down my arms to my fingertips, and maneuvered me around a surprisingly calm Sue, who was in full nurse-mode, and a frantic Emily. He pushed me to the sink and took my wrist as he flicked the faucet on. Sue reached out to take the bloodied rag while Jacob gently poured soap over my hand to wash the blood off.

"Here, Jake," Emily murmured as she handed him the alcohol Kim had brought back. He poured the liquid over my hand, ignoring my gasp at the stinging pain, before moving my hand over to Sue, who was ready with white gauze and an ace bandage. She wrapped up my hand expertly and patted my cheek.

"Good as new," she said with a smile before turning to Jacob with a knowing look. "You did good, Jacob."

"He'd make a hell of a nurse," I said softly, holding my throbbing limb to my chest. Jacob rolled his eyes, but I caught the laughter in the brown depths and the ghost of a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled. "If you can stay away from injuries for an hour, I think I'll go watch the game."

He sent me a wider smirk that was more noticeable and I laughed. "Shut up and go, geeze."

He snorted and left the room to join the others. I couldn't stop the smile that played at the edges of my lips as I turned and began chopping a new batch of lettuce, since I had bled all over the last one and Kim had been kind enough to clean up the mess.

"So, you and Jacob, huh?" Kim teased as she resumed with her tomatoes next to me.

I rolled my eyes and bumped her shoulder with mine. "Not even. We're friends," I explained.

"I'd say you two are more than friends," Sue commented as she came to stand near Kim and began cooking the defrosted beef on the stovetop. The sound of the beef sizzling in the oil filled the air.

Emily sent me a knowing smirk from across the room. I laughed at the eager women. "You all need a hobby instead of this matchmaking business," I joked. "Jacob and I are just friends. It appeases the whole imprint thing. Besides," I said as I took the bowl of shredded lettuce and set it beside the tortilla shells on the table. "he still loves my sister."

Sue and Kim sent me sad, pitying looks that I hated. I didn't need pity. I didn't love Jacob like that. My heart still belonged to Embry, like it always had. I wasn't going to tell them that, though; I wasn't sure how they'd react to me dating another wolf while my imprinted wolf remained my friend.

"He may have loved Bella before," Emily said as she fingered the scars on her face and stared down in deep thought, "but that doesn't mean he won't ever love anyone else. Sometimes, it's not your first love that's meant to last. Sometimes, you're just meant to learn something from that and use it to make yourself a better person and to make your future relationships stronger and healthier. Sometimes, it's that next person that comes along who understands you better than you ever understood yourself because they've been in your shoes." She took a deep breath in and sent a tired smile my way. "I guess I'm saying don't write him off just because he loved your sister at some point, Nori. You never know what you could be missing out on."

We finished the tacos in silence, but I couldn't stop replaying Emily's words in my head. I had no response for that. I loved Embry, Jacob loved Bella, and Jacob and I had a sort of friendship blooming. Everything was falling into place like I had hoped. What more could I ask for? I couldn't even imagine being with Jacob in the way that I wanted to be with Embry. It just wasn't natural. It wasn't part of the plan.

It was the sixth inning when I made my way back into the living room with two plates piled high with tacos. Kim followed behind with another two plates while Emily and Sue brought napkins and paper plates. Jacob was lounging on the couch beside Embry, but I had no qualms about stuffing my big butt between the two. Embry chuckled at me as he leaned forward and grabbed two tacos, handing me one with a grin.

I took a bite and leaned back into the cushions. Why couldn't life be simple? For as long as I could remember, things had been relatively calm and easy. I didn't have to worry about rogue vampires killing my family or shape shifting boys accidentally phasing near me. Looking at Embry on one side and Jacob on the other, I couldn't help but wish that things could go back to how they were before.

Before — when Jacob loved Bella, I loved Embry, the supernatural was invisible, and things weren't so damn complicated.


	32. II: Six

**I have really enjoyed seeing how many people are rooting for Embry/Nori and for Jacob/Nori. It makes writing this fic even more fun. Your reviews, as always, have made my days complete.**

 **However, I have bad news. My updates may be longer than usual. Before, I had Part I complete before I even posted. I'm currently writing chapters for Part II and updating with them as soon as they're done. Therefore, it may take longer to find writing time between school and work and whatnot.**

 **But never fear! I am determined to make time and surprise you all with chapters of Nori props as often as possible!**

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* * *

Sunday night, Bella arrived home. Dad had offered to meet them at the airport, but the Cullen boy had insisted that he take care of their transportation. From the looks of the fancy Mercedes in the driveway, he wanted to shower my sister in all the luxuries he could. I wondered if that was why she liked him — he could literally give her anything under the sun.

Bella looked tired. She leaned heavily against Edward as they walked through the front door and the bags under her eyes were a shade darker than they were when she left. Mom tended to be in a frenzy ninety-nine percent of the time. No wonder my sister was exhausted.

Dad grimaced at the sight of Edward walking through the door with Bella, but it didn't stop the excited, "Welcome home!" from exiting his mouth. Edward seemed amused at my father's enthusiastic greeting. Bella just looked surprised.

They talked about Jacksonville and Mom for a moment, while I stood silently to the side. Edward was watching me carefully, and I just knew he was picking my brain for information. A flash of Embry telling me about the redheaded vampire and the Cullen incident flew through my mind before I caught it and began singing Who Let the Dogs Out? on replay in my mind. But it was too late. Edward's eyes had widened and his brows had furrowed as he took in the new bits of information.

"How about you, Edward? Did you have a nice time?"

Edward's eyes darted to Dad as he cleared his throat and smoothed his facial expression down to a stone exterior. He nodded lightly.

"Yes. Renee was hospitable."

Dad accepted that answer and awkwardly responded to appease Bella. He was trying so hard to make Bella like him and want to stay in Forks. I wished my sister could see that.

Bella and Dad shared a hug before he told her to call Jacob. From the way Bella stared at Dad incredulously, I knew that she was thinking the same thing I was — why in the hell would Jacob Black want to talk to her now? He had made it clear he wanted their friendship to be over.

Dad shrugged at her look. "He's been calling the house all day. I figured he wanted to talk to you."

Bella scampered off with a hopeful expression to the phone while Dad disappeared into the living room. He still didn't like Edward. I didn't blame him, really. I was just as on edge around the cold boy, and I actually _knew_ why he was so cold.

"Did they catch her?" Edward murmured as he took a step towards me, his eyes never leaving Bella from our place in the entryway. She was standing by the phone in the kitchen, biting her nails as she waited for someone to answer.

I cringed as the sweet, enticing smell of vampire filled my nose. I had learned after many days of seeing Edward in the house that vampires had a smell that drew humans in. It smelled delicious to us, while for my shape shifting friends, the smell was god-awful.

"I don't know the full details," I whispered lowly in return, "but I don't think so. Apparently one of your, uh, fellow Cullens — the big one — crossed the border and accidentally ran into one of the wolves. It almost started a fight." I shrugged. "Nobody was injured, though, so no worries."

Edward nodded with a sigh. "Emmett," he said, as if that answered any questions I had. To be honest, I didn't really care about his family member's name. "Until Victoria is killed, you shouldn't be left alone. I can have one of my brothers watch over yo—"

A hard laugh escaped my lungs, interrupting him. "Uh, as tempting as that offer is, I'll decline. My friends can take care of me just fine," I assured him. "Thanks, though." I felt like I had to be gracious, even if he was an idiot for even offering. There was no way I would accept an offer to be stalked by a vampire, no matter how much danger my life was in.

Edward pursed his lips for a moment, his eyes burning into my forehead, before he made eye contact with me. "If at any time you need us, Nori, we are always just a phone call away. We consider Bella a part of us, and because you are her family, we care about you as well." I swallowed thickly as his words sank in. "I understand that you have a loyalty to your, er, _friends._ However, you and your father's safety are very important to my family and to Bella, and therefore I would appreciate it if you would promise to call on us if you ever feel threatened or in need of help."

As strange as the offer was, I had no reason to dispute it. He was offering protection for any time that we needed it. While I knew that the likelihood of us ever needing to call on them was practically zero to none, I still knew not to look a gift horse in the mouth — or rather, fangs.

Maybe the Cullens weren't quite as bad as I'd thought after all.

I held out my hand for the vampire to shake. "You've got a deal," I said calmly, though my heart was racing when his icy fingers slid across my palm. It was the thought of what he could possibly do that scared me, even if I knew that he wasn't like the others of his kind. He smirked as his sensitive ears picked up my thumping heartbeat.

Bella approached Edward's side and began talking about her conversation with Jacob. The sound of his name coming from her mouth made my stomach twist, so I quickly slipped into the living room to say goodnight to my father.

"Did Cullen leave?" Dad asked gruffly.

I shook my head and plopped down onto the arm of the recliner, my weight rocking us backwards a bit.

"You know, I'm starting to think that maybe he really isn't as bad as we thought," I told him as I leaned onto his shoulder.

Dad laughed under his breath and took a swallow from the can of beer in his hand. "I don't know about that," he muttered. "I say just give it a little time before something else happens."

As much as I wanted to tell my father that things were going to get better for everyone, I knew deep down that he was probably right. We were Swans, and lately, our luck was shit.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Wednesday morning, the smell of bacon and eggs wafted up the stairs and into my room. I grinned and breathed in deeply, letting the scent tease my senses. My stomach growled in anticipation, begging for the food that was waiting for me.

I rolled out of bed, throwing up my hair into a messy bun as usual and trotted down the stairs, still decked out in pajama shorts and a t-shirt. Bella and Dad were sitting at the table, finishing off the remainders of their breakfasts before they'd both have to leave. I grabbed a plate from the cabinet and loaded it down with bacon.

"Nori, what happened to your hand?" Dad asked as he folded up the newspaper he had been reading and tossed it onto the table.

I glanced down and realized that I'd taken the bandage off days ago to shower and never put it back on. The cut stretching across the back of my hand was angry and red, scabbed over in a thick layer of dried blood that looked more menacing than it really was.

"I cut it Saturday when we were making tacos." I shrugged.

Dad grimaced, eyeing my hand pointedly. "You should put something on that. It doesn't look good."

He stood and began clearing the table while Bella left the room quickly without a word. I shoved a piece of bacon in my mouth to occupy my thoughts as Dad stacked the dishes in the sink and moved to the hall closet to get his gun belt.

"Oh, by the way, I wanted to talk to you before I left," Dad said as he pulled the belt around his waist and buckled it in the front. "Since you have that car now, I figured it might be time to start looking for a job to pay for the gas." He pulled the gun down from the top shelf and loaded it. "The Newtons would probably hire you."

I bit my tongue to keep from saying something that I shouldn't. There was no way in hell I would go work for the Newtons. I had enough on my plate already in the worry department. Being under the same roof as Mike Newton was the last thing I needed now.

I nodded anyway and sent a thumbs up to my father. I would just find someone else to hire me. There had to be a job available between here and the Pacific Coast.

He sent me a closed-mouth grin and spun the gun on his finger before expertly placing it in the holster at his side. "Your ol' man's still got it," he chuckled. I rolled my eyes with a laugh as I watched him walk into the entryway. The bacon on my plate called my name and, with another growl from my stomach, I dug in again.

I nearly jumped out of my seat and choked on a strip of pig fat when Bella appeared by my side out of nowhere. It was too early and I was too focused on the greasy goodness of my breakfast to pay attention to my surroundings.

Bella lightly touched my wrist. "Let me see your hand," she said softly.

I gave her a confused look as I lifted my hand and held it out to her. She gently dabbed a clear gel over the cut and placed a clean piece of gauze over it before wrapping a long strip of white tape around my hand to hold the gauze in place.

She left to put the first aid things away and I took that moment to swallow my shock away. With all of the drama and tension lately, I had started to see my sister as some sort of unfeeling creature who wanted to hurt everyone. I had let my anger with her for the way things happened with Jacob blind me from who she really was. She wasn't completely bad. She could be tender and caring when she needed to be and that was what mattered. Sure, she had made a few shitty decisions — including dating a vampire willingly and leading along my imprint — but I couldn't hold them against her forever. She was my sister and I loved her anyway.

Bella rushed back through the room with her book bag slung over one shoulder. I jumped up from my place at the table and hurried to catch up with her. Before she could say a word or walk out the door, I ran in front of her and caught her in a hug.

"Thanks, Bells," I murmured into her ear. I hoped she'd understand that I meant it for more than just her nursing skills.

"Y-You're welcome, Nori," she replied, patting my shoulder as she leaned back and sent me a soft smile. It was a smile that sent me back to our days as kids, when we'd play in the yard and create imaginary worlds together in the summers that she'd spend in Forks. I missed those days. I missed their simplicity and the relationship I'd had with my sister.

I watched her and Dad pull away before I closed the door and finished off the rest of the bacon in the house. It was a good morning for comfort food.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

For as long as I could remember, I hated the sound of a vacuum cleaner. The headache that always came after hearing the loud sound for a long period of time wasn't worth the clean floor. I wanted to rip the carpet from the living room and set it on fire after each cleaning day.

I shut the outrageously annoying machine off and kicked it for good measure, muttering curses under my breath as the throbbing in my skull pounded against the skin of my temples. I had successfully vacuumed the entire upstairs, as well as the living room, and decided that was enough cleaning for one day. I preferred to do work in increments — a little here and a little there until eventually — possibly in weeks — everything was done.

I wiped my sweaty brow and grabbed a soft drink from the refrigerator, downing half of the can in one breath. My eyes watered as the carbonation burned my throat and caused my face to scrunch up in discomfort for a moment before the doorbell rang.

Setting the can down on the kitchen table, I maneuvered around the room to the entryway and peeked out the window to the right, sighing in relief at the sight of Billy Black and Old Quil on the porch. I yanked the door open and smiled politely at my dad's friends.

"Good afternoon, Nori," Old Quil greeted with a wrinkled grin. "Is Charlie home?"

I glanced at the round clock hanging on the wall above the coat hooks. 4:45.

Shaking my head, I sent an apologetic smile to the older men. "He gets off at five." I stepped back a little and motioned for them to come inside. "You're welcome to hang around until he gets back."

Old Quil nodded and pushed Billy over the threshold. I took over the handles as soon as they were inside, mostly because Old Quil was already frail enough and I hated the thought of him exerting himself too much and ending up like Harry Clearwater. One loss was enough for this year.

The men sat in the living room and, after I brought a couple of beers from the kitchen and grabbed my own soda from the table, we sat around and watched the highlights of the baseball season thus far. We argued over teams and players and wins and losses and I couldn't help but feel extremely human, sitting there with them as I had all of my life. It was hard to believe that their family members were wolves protecting us all from crazed vampires.

The front door opened as Dad called out, "I'm home!" I responded to let him know that I was in the living room. I was sure he had figured that Old Quil and Billy were here based on the truck parked in the driveway.

Sure enough, Dad walked in and greeted his buddies before sitting in his favorite recliner and starting up a conversation about baseball. I didn't miss the way Old Quil quickly changed the subject to Seattle and the homicides happening.

"Nori, can you help me get something from the truck?" Billy asked, interrupting the conversation just as Old Quil asked about the body count so far.

I nodded and pushed him out the door as Dad and Old Quil continued their conversation on the homicides and details.

"So, what are we getting from the truck?" I asked as I carefully took him down the ramp off the far side of the porch that Dad had built just after Billy's accident. Jacob had helped Dad build it, and then they had built the one at the Blacks' together. It was the first summer Bella didn't stay with us and Jacob had no idea what to do with himself.

Billy chuckled and waved his hand for me to stop. I paused in the driveway and leaned over to look at him.

"I just needed to get you out of there so Old Quil could get some information from your dad," he admitted sheepishly. I rolled my eyes but laughed anyway. "I did want to talk to you, though."

I moved around him to sit on the front hood of my small car, directly across from where Billy sat in in his chair.

"It's about Jacob."

I blanched at the name and quickly tried to swallow my emotions. Stupid imprint.

"What about him?" I tried to ask nonchalantly, but my voice was just a tad bit higher than normal and, from the way Billy's lips twitched, I knew he noticed it as well. Dammit.

Billy clasped his hands in his lap as he stared up at me with his wise brown eyes — eyes that Jacob had inherited. I couldn't look away.

"Nori, I know about the imprint. I also know that my son has made a few, er,"

"Shitty decisions?" I finished for him sarcastically, though the way he cracked a smile told me he agreed.

"We'll go with that." He chuckled. "I know that being with Jacob can be difficult and I just don't want you to feel discouraged as your relationship progress—"

"Whoah, whoah, whoah," I quickly interjected, holding my hands up in surrender. "Jacob and I will never be in a _relationship_." I almost laughed at the thought. "He's still in love with Bella, and I, uh—" I coughed. "I have my own interests," I choked out in an attempt to keep Embry's name out of this. He didn't need any backlash from Billy. Not until we had at least been on our first date.

If Billy was surprised, he didn't show it. His face was stoic as he moved his gaze down to his clasped hands. "Nori, tell me something. What you have with Jacob now—" He gently met my eyes again. "Is that what _you_ want?"

His questioned burned into my head, repeating itself as I pondered over an answer. It seemed like a lifetime ago when Sam had sat on the beach and told me that Jacob would be whatever I wanted him to be. Back then, I wasn't sure what I wanted from Jacob. I just knew that I wanted the pain in my chest to go away and the emotional turmoil in my head to simmer down.

The friendship I had started to form with Jacob had calmed down whatever imprint magic was in my soul. I could breathe normally. He was still on my mind daily, but I could breathe knowing that he didn't hate me anymore and that I could call on him if I ever needed to. It was comforting. It was a strange friendship.

It was also very unfair to Embry. He deserved my full attention, not to share it with Jacob. I was just too damn selfish to give up my chance at happiness with the boy I had loved for as long as I could remember.

"Yes," I whispered. "I want this friendship with Jacob. This seems like the only way that everyone will be happy." It didn't matter how I tried to explain it. No one could understand unless they were in our shoes, mixed into this imprint mess.

"Are you sure about that?" Billy questioned quickly, though his deep voice portrayed his devout wisdom. "What if this isn't a permanent solution to the problem, Nori? You have to consider everyone's feelings in this matter. There are too many lives at stake here."

I could feel the frustration building as Billy continued to berate me. I knew that he was only doing this because he was tired of seeing his son suffer, but it wasn't my fault. I had tried to make Jacob accept the imprint to some degree. Our friendship was as much acceptance as either of us could handle. We just weren't meant to be.

"What you're starting won't end well. People will get hurt and you will carry that with you for the rest of your life. So, be honest with me — is this what you _want_?"

I clenched my right hand around the grill of my car as I glared away from the man I considered my second father and focused on the gravel driveway below my feet.

"No," I snapped. "It's not what I want." Billy seemed pleased with that answer, but I wasn't finished. "It's what I _need_. I _need_ Jacob to be in my life somehow, but I don't need him to be my lap dog. I'm not Kim or Emily. I'm not going to accept someone as the love of my life just because some Quileute voodoo says it's true." I slipped down to my feet and stood tall in front of the paralyzed man before me. "Jacob and I are doing just fine with the way things are. He can continue to chase after Bella and I can do my own thing and everyone is okay. That's all that matters. Everyone is okay."

I blinked hard as tears filled my eyes. I wished I could believe my own words.

Billy smiled sadly and shook his head. "You know, you and Jacob are a lot alike." I wanted to roll my eyes. He was determined to make a point that Jacob and I were meant to be, and I just didn't want to hear it. "You're both so damn hardheaded."

I snorted. "I can't argue there," I admitted. We were the only imprint couple in history to ever fight against the imprint to this degree, as far as I knew. The other imprint couples had it pretty easy.

"Just promise me you won't give up on him, Nori," Billy murmured. "He's always tried to be the hero. That boy thinks that if he holds everything inside, he'll protect everyone around him. Hell, he won't even talk to me anymore. Not since the accident." We both cringed at the memory of the accident. It was the day Sarah died, and with her, a piece of all of us died, too. "I'm just afraid he won't be able to take much more. He's already lost his mother, his future, and the girl he thought he loved. He's got the whole world on his shoulders, especially now that he has to prepare to be Alpha."

"What?" I gasped as his words registered. Jacob was going to be Alpha? Wasn't he too young to handle that kind of responsibility?

Billy nodded sadly. "It's in his blood. He's the rightful Alpha. I'm just worried that, if he doesn't learn how to handle his problems and not let them fester and anger him, he'll fail horribly."

I leaned back until my bum rested against the car as I thought over what Billy was saying. Sam's words came back, reminding me that I was meant to even Jacob's wolf out. I needed to lead him. Was this what Jacob needed? Someone to talk to so he wouldn't bottle everything inside? I could do that. Friends did that for each other.

Billy rolled forward and grabbed my left hand in both of his. "Promise me you'll at least consider everything I've said today. I can't lose my boy, Nori. He's all I've really got left," he whispered hoarsely, and for the first time since Sarah died, I saw tears in Billy's eyes. "He needs you. Whether you believe it or not, whether he admits it or not, I know he does."

I nodded, not knowing what else to do, and squeezed Billy's hand as Old Quil walked out onto the porch. Billy glanced over his shoulder and I watched as Old Quil gave a slight nod to him and headed for the truck, his cane plunging into the mud with every other step.

Billy gave me a pleading look before moving his wheelchair towards the truck. I wanted to question him, ask him for advice on how to make Jacob open up to me before he snapped. I had no idea how to handle the angry, confused, heartbroken boy.

I knew someone who understood him completely and would help if she knew that it would save Jacob. What I _didn't_ know was if I was ready to cross that bridge yet.


	33. II: Seven

**I HAVE RETURNED!**

 **I'd like to give a heartfelt apology to all of you for such a long update. I am so sorry! Until this semester is over, my updates will be on the slow side. But I will try to update within a week or less! No promises, though.**

 **Anyway, I have loved the reviews. You guys seriously are amazing! And because of your fantastic feedback, I have given you a chapter filled with relationship cuteness and KISS SCENES WHAT**

 **Please give feedback and opinions!**

 **And also, REVIEW POLL QUESTION: What are your opinions on the Charlie/Sue pairing? Too soon for Sue? Too forward of Charlie? Cute or nah? I'd love to hear your thoughts.**

 **And now, please enjoy this chapter! :D**

* * *

Friday night, I found myself standing in front of the mirror willing my hands to stop shaking.

I was scared shitless.

For as long as I could remember, Embry and I had had a special kind of friendship. We were as close as two humans could be — like siblings, or an old married couple. The fact that our relationship was changing so quickly only made my nerves frazzle. I had no clue how to act now.

I had spent an extra hour going through my wardrobe to find the perfect outfit. Sure, our first date was at a bonfire with the Elders and the rest of the pack, but it was still our _first date_. I had to look amazing and I had no idea how to do that.

I had the brief notion to ask Bella for advice, but then I remembered that she wore hideous kakis and polos half of the time. Our styles were on opposite sides of the spectrum.

In the end, I had settled on my burgundy skinny jeans, a loose black tank top with white writing for the band _My Chemical Romance_ across the front, and an oversized cream cardigan. Summer had come to Washington, but the nights were still chilly, especially with the breezes that came in from the coast.

My hair that I normally straightened or threw up into a haphazard bun was falling around my face in gentle waves, thanks to the curling iron I had found in the hall bathroom. It had never been opened, so I could only assume it was Bella's. While my normal makeup was light and consisted of foundation and eyeliner, tonight I had added eyeshadow and attempted to contour my pudgy face.

Staring in the mirror, I couldn't see an improvement, but I had hope that Embry would find me somewhat attractive.

"Hey, Nori? Embry's here!" Dad called up the stairs.

I bit my lip and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm my racing heart. I could do this. It was just Embry.

I loved him. I could definitely handle going out with him.

Grabbing my black Vans, I carefully put them on as I descended the stairs and rounded the corner into the kitchen, catching the attention of Dad and Embry.

I blushed as Embry's jaw dropped.

"Hot damn, don't you look pretty," Dad joked before his eyes drifted to Embry. He quickly straightened his posture and cleared his throat as the humorous look fell from his face.

He slapped Embry's shoulder. "Close your mouth before you catch a fly," he ordered gruffly.

Embry's mouth slammed shut as he shook his head slightly and grinned. I returned the smile and tucked a chunk of waves behind my ear.

"Okay, rules for tonight," Dad began, sending me a wink before turning a stern look towards Embry. "Keep your hands to yourself, your dick in your pants, and have her home by eleven. Comprende?"

Embry looked ready to pee his pants. I was nearly combusting with laughter at my father's sudden macho act.

My poor, scared, vampire-killing date nodded quickly as he stuttered out, "Oh, um, of course, sir. No pants - I mean, hands - I mean, uh-" He scratched the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. "I comprende?"

Dad stared at him for a moment longer before bursting into laughter and clapping Embry on the back. "Had you going there for a minute, didn't I, son? I trust you both. Be back before dawn. Now, get outta here."

I rolled my eyes and kissed my father on the cheek before shyly taking Embry's outstretched hand and heading for the door.

"Oh, but Embry?"

We stopped so Embry and I could look over our shoulders at my father. He grinned sinisterly at my date.

"I've got seventeen guns in this house and I know how to hide a body. Remember that."

Embry squeezed my hand and swallowed thickly, practically shaking in his sneakers, before holding the door open for me and leading me out of the house.

As we made our way to his truck, he leaned down to whisper in my ear, "Your dad scares the hell out of me, you know that?"

I giggled. "I'd hate to see your reaction to a killer vampire, then."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The beach was dark and the fire already aflame when we arrived. From what Embry had shared, Sam had given everyone the night off from patrol and Emily had prepared a feast of snacks. Paul was bringing alcohol for the wolves to indulge, since it would hardly affect them at all. It would take twice the normal human limit to even make a wolf tipsy, according the Embry. He swore he'd never tried. I was positive Paul or Quil had.

We left our sneakers in the truck and I giggled as Embry carried me piggyback-style down the rocky path to the beach. Emily was busying herself over the tables of food while Sam held her from behind, nuzzling her neck and whispering things that made her laugh and swat at him. The guys were in game of tackle football that looked to be extremely brutal while Kim sat curled up in Jared's lap by the fire and the Elders sat around in conversation.

It was then that I noticed a familiar face sitting beside Jacob and leaning into his warmth. Bella.

I tensed at the sight of them as a thousand thoughts crossed my mind. Were they together? Were they friends? Had Jacob forgiven her? Had she dumped the Cullen guy? Why hadn't she said anything to Dad or me?

"What's your sister doing here?" Embry muttered as he eased me off of his back and held me by his side with an arm around my shoulders.

I shrugged. "I have no idea."

My eyes burned a hole into the side of Bella's head as she smiled up at Jacob, who seemed to be his old sunny self in her presence. I swallowed down the prick of jealousy I felt and raised a hand to cover Embry's on my shoulder.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?" he asked softly, smiling widely down at me.

I grinned up at my best friend — my _boyfriend_ — and leaned into his side. "No, but you can keep saying it."

Embry chuckled and kissed my forehead before leading me towards the table of food and a painfully adorable Sam and Emily sharing eskimo kisses.

"Hey, no PDA around the food!" Embry complained with a laugh as he grabbed a chicken leg and munched down happily. Sam rolled his eyes at the boy by my side while Emily grinned at the two of us.

"Nori, I'm so glad you could make it! Did you come with Bella?"

I shook my head quickly. I didn't want to think about my sister and Jacob at the moment. "No, I'm here with Embry."

"I finally talked her into a date," my best friend joked, squeezing me tighter into his side as Quil and Seth approached the group. Quil moved to my opposite side and shoved Embry's arm away to replace it with his own.

"Date? It's about damn time," he laughed with a slobbery kiss to my temple. "I call dibs if it doesn't work out with you kids, though."

I shoved the idiot off of me and smacked his chest. "You're such a pig, Quil. Go away."

The guys laughed and joined in on picking on Quil as Emily quickly snatched my wrist and pulled me to the side, a concerned look on her face. She led me to the end of the line of tables and began removing the tinfoil coverings.

"Nori, exactly what are you and Embry?" She folded a piece of tinfoil neatly in her hands and met my eyes.

I shrugged. "We're figuring things out, I guess. This is our first date, technically."

Emily sighed and placed the tinfoil square on the table by the pan of mashed potatoes. "I see," she murmured.

I removed the tinfoil over another pan of food and folded it as Emily had. "I love him," I whispered, knowing that over half a dozen wolves with super hearing were around. "I've loved him nearly all of my life, Emily. The imprint may have made things complicated, but Jacob and I are comfortable with our friendship and Embry knows what he's getting into. I would never do this if I thought I couldn't give Embry all of me." My brown eyes burned into her dark caramel orbs with sincerity as I spoke quietly and firmly. I may have screwed up at the beginning of this entire fiasco, but I wasn't going to bring Embry down because of it. I cared too much.

Emily bit her lip in thought and continued folding. We uncovered the entire line of pans before she turned to me and smiled sadly. "I wish nothing but the best for you both. If this is what makes everyone involved happy, then so be it. I support your decision, Nori." She reached out and gently grasped my wrist to gain my full attention. "Just know that the imprint is strong. You may be able to fight it for a while, but it will eventually wear you both down." She sighed again and patted my arm. "Be careful, okay?"

I nodded, unable to form any words for a response. Emily was such a strong, smart woman. I looked up to her. Hearing her words of wisdom hit hard.

Emily shot another small smile towards me before turning to face the beach. "Food's ready!" she called out, knowing that even though her voice wasn't extremely loud, everyone would hear her.

It took less than five minutes for everyone to crowd around the tables and pile their plates high with food. The girls made their plates first, and before long, we were all sitting on driftwood logs around the roaring bonfire. Embry had a plate balanced on each knee as he tried to beat his brothers and wolf down the food first.

I was waiting for him to choke just so I'd have an excuse to kiss him while using CPR as a disguise. I blushed as the image filled my head and jumped to my feet, moving back towards the tables to throw my plate away in a large plastic trash can someone had dragged down from the parking lot.

"What are you so red for?" Embry teased around a mouthful of hotdog as he followed me with his empty stack of plates. It was amazing how much these boys could eat and still be fit. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have never believed the stories.

I shrugged and averted my eyes. There was no way in hell I would share my thoughts about _that_ with him. Our relationship had barely began. I didn't want to rush things and mess the careful dynamic up.

We tossed our plates and empty styrofoam cups before Embry shoved my shoulder lightly with his own. "C'mon, the legends are about the start."

Billy began the retelling of the legends as I curled into Embry's side. Everyone's eyes burned into the older man's withered face as he weaved together the story of Taha Aki and the spirit warriors. His deep voice carried across the space like a soft blanket, filled with warmth and lulling poor Kim to sleep before the stories were halfway over.

Emily's hand flew across a notepad, recounting the events from Billy's mouth to add to the tribal records. She was putting together a collection of all of the stories on paper so that — heaven forbid — once Billy died, they'd still be accessible to the later generations.

From my place by Embry's side, I watched my sister across the fire. Bella was leaning against Jacob's shoulder, her eyes still focused solely on Billy in awe. In any other case, I would be ecstatic for her — she seemed so at ease, which was such a change from her usual stressed behavior. However, the fact that she was curled up against my imprint — the guy who had been strung around by her in the past — only made my blood boil.

Jacob kept an arm around around her shoulders while slowly stroking the skin of her upper arm that was bare to the chilly night air. While her eyes were on Billy, Jacob's were on the sand by his feet, a strange expression on his face. It was as if he were in pain, but with every glance he made towards Bella, his face would soften slightly.

I wanted desperately to know what was going on in that thick head of his.

Old Quil continued the legends as Billy paused to drink some water. The difference was much more obvious as Old Quil's sharper, nasally voice pierced the air and rose in volume, stirring Kim from her slumber and captivating Bella even more.

Jacob pulled her closer to his side and fingered the ends of her long curls as he stared off into space, his face scrunching up in pain again.

His dark eyes flickered up to meet mine. Tingles trailed down my spine for three full seconds before I broke contact and focused on Old Quil. This was ridiculous. Jacob and I had agreed to be friends. Why couldn't I handle him being with my sister? It shouldn't bother me to this extent.

As Old Quil finished the stories and the group began diving into conversations amongst each other, I watched silently as Jacob gathered a sleepy Bella into his arms and left the beach, shooting a grin to some of the guys as he said he'd be back.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Embry asked quietly in my ear, scaring me half to death. He hadn't spoken since before the legends began.

I jumped as Embry chuckled. Rolling my eyes at him, I shoved him off and stood. He sat watching me out of curiosity.

"Well, are you coming?" I asked with a small smile as I led the way towards the water. Embry caught up quickly and gently took my hand in his as my toes dipped into the chilly surf. I swung our arms as we walk hand-in-hand down the beach, away from the group and the fire and everything else that reminded me of the chances of a downfall to our relationship.

Out here, with the stars shining over us and the soft sounds of the waves hitting shore, it was just Embry and me and all of the possibilities.

"So beautiful," I whispered, staring up at the night sky in amazement. Stars were my favorite creation. No matter how shitty things were, they were always constant and breathtaking.

"I agree," Embry whispered in return from next to me. I glanced over at him and found him already staring at me with a serious look on his face. It seemed out of place, when usually he was sporting a huge grin or mischievous smirk.

"You're such a cheeseball." I laughed breathlessly. There was barely an inch between the two of us, but even with the foot of space between my face and his, I could feel the distance shrinking. We were so close.

So close.

Too close.

My heart was hammering in my chest as thoughts flooded my head. What was he going to do? Would he take advantage of me? Would he be angry at me for not wanting to go far on the freaking beach on our first date? Would he kiss me? Would the imprint make me do something crazy? Could I handle this?

"Nori, breathe," Embry murmured, a knowing look on his face. "I'm not Mike."

Hearing that name sent a jolt through my veins as the realization came over me. I had briefly compared Embry to Mike. I had feared my best friend. I felt sick. I was horrible.

"I'm serious. Breathe," Embry whispered as he reached up with one hand and held my chin in his warm fingers. "I would never hurt you like that. _Never_." His reverent words brought a small smile to my face, and at the sight, his eyes lit up.

He leaned forward slowly, as if giving me the chance to dart or duck if I needed to. Our eyes were locked — my brown on his heterochromia green and brown. I wanted to see those eyes every day for the rest of my life. Being here with him, I was comfortable, I was happy, and I was free.

Millimeters away, Embry's breath caressed my face as the words, "I love you," washed over my senses. I opened my mouth to return the sentiment.

His lips touching mine cut me off.

They brushed carefully across my own, catching them in a sweet kiss and breaking the contact before I could really register it. I almost opened my mouth to ask him to do it again when his lips returned to mine, pressing more firmly and confidently.

Both Embry and I had very little experience in the kissing department, but the spark between us was undeniable. Our mouths moved together in a way neither of us had ever truly experienced, but it seemed so _right_.

Embry's hand under my chin moved to cup one side of my face while the other slid up from my waist to wrap around the base of my neck and thread through my neatly straightened hair. I had no idea where to put my hands, so I awkwardly wrapped them around his waist and traced the muscles of his back absentmindedly.

I was surrounded by everything Embry. His smell, his touch, his taste, the sounds of his lips smacking against mine and the breaths coming in pants from his nose. Even with my eyes closed, I could picture him perfectly in front of me, his childlike features barely an inch from my face.

"Hey, quit necking there!" a voice that sounded suspiciously like Quil's called from farther down the beach. I broke the kiss at the sound, jumping back from Embry in fright. I hated how jumpy I was. I blamed it on my heightened nerves from the date.

Embry growled lowly as he turned his head to look at Quil. The boy in question waved at us to come towards him.

"Jake's back with the drinks! Time to turn _up_!"

Embry turned back to me and sighed, his forehead falling forward to rest against mine.

Letting a moment of bravery take ahold of me, I moved up and pecked his lips chastely, earning a smile from him.

"Ready to go ' _turn up_?'" I asked sarcastically, quoting Quil.

Embry groaned childishly. "Hell no. I'd rather stay here and make out."

I playfully pushed him away with a giggle as he grinned cheekily and lazily wrapped an arm around my shoulders as we made our way back up the beach to the fire, where the only people left were the pack — minus Sam — and Kim. Paul and Jared had turned one of the food tables into a beer pong table, while Jacob and Quil were breaking out bottles of alcohol and red solo cups.

I knew the guys weren't too affected by alcohol, but I was still completely human and fully capable of hangovers. Therefore, I did not plan on touching any of those drinks. I'd leave the stupidity to the boys.

"Hey, Em! What's got you so giddy?" Seth asked with a smirk as he sat on top of another table, swinging his long legs and holding onto the edge.

Embry flipped him off, earning a chuckle from the younger boy. I blushed and hid my face in Embry's shoulder.

Seeing my blush, Quil immediately jumped onto the let's-embarrass-Nori bandwagon. "Nori, is that a hickey on your neck?"

I slapped a hand on my neck before I remembered that Embry hadn't gone anywhere near there. Dammit. I blushed even harder as I glared at my friend.

"Says the guy who's never even _had_ a hickey," I retorted before sticking my tongue out.

The guys "ooh-ed" and broke out into laughter, ribbing Quil with a few more derogatory jokes while I willed my cheeks to cool off.

Embry motioned towards the drinks that Paul was digging into. "Want one?"

I shook my head with a scrunched up nose. "Nah, I'm good. I think I'll go talk to Kim for a little bit."

Embry nodded and kissed my temple. "I'll be over here playing beer pong with the guys if you need me, okay?"

Nodding, I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed his lips again, reveling in the courageous streak and sending him a smirk as I danced off towards my best female friend who was attempting to talk to Leah.

A hovering giant met my strides halfway to the fire. Glancing up, I nearly choked on my own saliva at the sight of Jacob towering over me.

"So, you and Embry, huh?"

I couldn't tell how he felt about that. His face was carefully masked and his voice was a normal conversation tone. It was as if he were genuinely interested.

I laughed, but it wasn't humorous. "So, you and Bella, huh?"

Jacob pursed his lips and stopped walking. I stopped next to him and gazed up at his face that now showed a sliver of his emotions. It wrenched at my heartstrings to see the pain laced across his features.

"It's . . . complicated," he sighed, running a hand down his face tiredly.

I nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I get that."

We stood in silence for a moment, him staring into me like he could see my soul while I averted my eyes and caught Embry's from across the beach. He glared at Jacob's side.

"I think Paul wants to whoop your ass in some beer pong," I said lightly, hoping to erase the tension brewing between us.

Jacob glanced at Paul, who was definitely enjoying the game while Jared seemed annoyed. Jacob chuckled.

"I could do it with my eyes closed," he bragged with a small smile.

I returned the smile, knowing that Jacob had silently accepted my relationship with Embry.

"Go get 'em, tiger," I joked, reaching out to punch his arm and ignoring the tingles that touching him caused in my hand. Jacob seemed to ignore them, too, or he didn't feel anything. He simply nodded and left to drink and be merry with his friends.

I turned and headed for Kim, needing to listen to some inconsequential drama to take my mind off of things for a little while.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"So, if you had to rate your first date experience . . ."

I laughed up at Embry as I squeezed my arms tighter around his waist. "Definitely a ten. Times ten. It breaks the scale."

Embry grinned triumphantly and leaned down to press a kiss to my mouth. What was meant to be a chaste goodnight kiss quickly turned into a heated lip lock as he held me as tightly to his chest as possible. I couldn't breathe, but the lack of oxygen was worth every second.

The lights above our heads flickered on and off, obviously a sign for us to quit slobbering on each other and call it a night. I giggled under my breath at my dad's not-so-subtle communication and leaned back.

Embry rolled his eyes towards the door and back to me, a _really?_ expression on his face before he, too, burst into laughter.

"Your dad-"

"-is such a dork, right?" I interrupted with an eye roll of my own. Embry nodded and chuckled again.

"Okay, I should probably leave before he brings one of those seventeen guns out here." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead. "See you when I see you?"

I nodded and smiled brightly up at him — my handsome, charming, totally kissable now that we'd crossed that bridge boyfriend. I couldn't believe my luck. I was on Cloud Nine.

I just hoped I wouldn't fall off anytime soon.

"See you when I see you," I repeated, hugging him quickly before stepping back and heading into the house. I chanced a glance over my shoulder before closing the door and waved at my boyfriend while he stood on the porch, waiting for me to be safely inside before he left.

He blew me a cheesy kiss. I was so damn lucky.

Even the thoughts of Jacob floating in the back of my mind couldn't bring me down.


	34. II: Eight

**I feel like I'm beginning to get repetitive with these author's notes. Literally every single one consists of me saying how much I love you guys and how your reviews make my day.**

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 **Oh, and here's a Review Poll Question: What is the craziest daytime adventure you've ever been on? I need some ideas for future chapters.**

 **Now, please enjoy this extra long chapter!**

* * *

 _Good morning, my beautiful ray of sunshine!_

 _Your sister came to visit us recently, though I'm sure you already knew that. She brought her boyfriend with her. I believe his name was Edward? He was such a nice young man — exactly the kind of boy I pictured your sister marrying one day. Smart, chic, polite. His only downfall was his avoidance of the sun. That boy hardly left the house! It was as if he thought the sun would kill him or something. Drove me crazy._

 _Have you found a boy of your own yet? You're sixteen, you know. When I was your age, I had already dated a few times. I'm worried about you, Lenora. You need a man in your life. Have you considered Bella's friend, Jacob? He's Billy's son, isn't he? You both are around the same age. What about those other boys you used to always hang out with? Bella said you still hang around the reservation with that group. Take the initiative! I raised strong daughters. You don't need to wait for the man to make the move._

 _Bella mentioned that your father was getting you a car. I hope it's nicer than that hunk of junk he bought your sister. I swear, he was always ridiculously cheap. I don't know how you've put up with him for so long._

 _I hope to hear from you. You haven't responded to my emails lately. Are you ignoring me? I'll call tomorrow if you haven't responded by then._

 _Love,_

 _Mom_

I stared at the email before letting my forehead fall to my propped up hands with a groan. My mother knew exactly what to say to get under my skin and annoy the heck out of me.

How could she possibly think Edward _freaking_ Cullen was the perfect guy? I mean, he wasn't as bad as the wolves believed, but he was still a bloodthirsty killer. Meanwhile, my mother thought he was a saint. She wanted Bella to _marry_ him.

Dear God.

I lifted my head with a heavy sigh and read over the email again. I had been avoiding answering my mother's emails — though, to be honest, I always avoided it. Usually, if I responded once every other month, she'd be fine. Only a few times had she ever called the house to fuss at Dad for me being MIA. I hated it when she did that.

And who was she to tell me that I needed a man? I was sixteen, for crying out loud! I wasn't interested in settling down with a man. I was perfectly fine with being an independent woman with no man. The fact that I had Embry was just a bonus.

I couldn't believe that she'd suggested Jacob as a date option. It was almost creepy how she'd done that, not knowing we were supposedly bound by fate already. I skimmed over that part quickly and clicked on the _reply_ button.

 _Mom,_

 _I'm not ignoring you. I've been busy — you know, life and stuff._

 _Yeah, Bella and Edward make a nice couple. I'm not sure if he's exactly_ marriage _material, though. He sounds like a vampire, avoiding the sun and whatnot._

 _I don't need a man in my life, but I do have one. His name is Embry and he's from the reservation. We've been best friends since we were kids and he's a really great guy. He loves the sun._

 _Dad did get me a car and it runs just fine. It looks a lot like the little car your boyfriend Carl had when I visited seven years ago. Dunno if he still has that one, though._

 _The thing about Dad is, he actually uses money on important things, like bills and food. Not shit like yoga VHS tapes and relaxation trips to Maui. He's not cheap. He's responsible._

 _There's no need to call the house. Stop threatening me with that. I'm not afraid to talk to you._

 _Nori_

I pressed _send_ and leaned back in the chair. I had no idea why I even bothered anymore. My mother and I would never see eye to eye. We were simply from two different worlds.

Mom had always been flighty and inconsistent while Dad was responsible and dedicated. Mom enjoyed adventure and adrenaline rushes. She enjoyed backpacking up the Pacific Coast and marrying a guy she'd only known for a few days. She enjoyed fixing up a house and playing housewife for a few months before it began to bore her. Bella came along and gave her a shot of adrenaline again — she was in charge of a life, a being that relied on her. She lived for it and, when Bella was barely a year old, she began to grow bored again.

I was Mom's last chance for that shot of adrenaline. I was that last chance for their marriage to work out and last. And when I was six months old and Mom was bored again, she packed up her bags and told Dad she was leaving. She needed more adventure in her life. She was tired of living in a depressing small town where nothing ever happened.

She left me behind. Seeing me probably just reminded her that her marriage and failed. She had never said those words, but I just knew. I was the last plan that blew up in their faces.

And so, she took Bella and moved to California with her mother — a grandmother I had never met. Bella had fond memories of her, though. Mom would send Bella to visit in Forks with Dad and I, but she never asked for visits from me. Dad would send me only after Bella stopped coming, so I could see my sister.

When Mom met Phil, she decided she wanted to play "good mom" and began emailing me on a weekly basis, as if that would make up for the years of neglect. If she took offense to my sarcastic tone and obvious jabs, she never said a word. She just continued to fuel the fire.

As much as I disliked my mother, I couldn't help but love her. She was my mom, after all.

I shut the computer off and stood from the desk. That was enough deep thinking for one day.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"So, your dad's making you get a job, huh?"

Seth was lounging in the passenger seat, one arm under the window as he sat catty-cornered so that he could see me as he talked. He had decided to tag along with me for the day since he didn't have patrol. I was pretty sure he was only here because Leah was being a bitch again. But I wasn't about to give up time with my honorable little brother figure.

"I've got to pay for gas somehow," I responded, pressing my lips together and shrugging.

Seth chuckled. "Understandable. I'm saving up to get a car. You know, the Elders pay us for being wolves. It's so great." He grinned, as if it really was the greatest thing in the world. I guess it would be — he was being paid for literally existing. I'd love that job.

"I'm so jelly," I muttered, sticking my tongue out at him as I pulled into the grocery store parking lot.

Seth shot up a thumbs up and a wide smile. "Go get 'em, tiger!" he said encouragingly as a jolt hit my spine.

Those were the same words I'd spoken to Jacob a few nights before. Hearing them from Seth only made me replay that moment of possible jealousy from my imprint.

I hated dwelling on those thoughts. They only gave me headaches.

"Y-Yeah," I responded shakily, swallowing down the deja vu and holding up one hand for a thumbs up. "I'll be right back."

I closed the car door and made my way inside the food mart.

Mr. Cheney — a short, overweight, middle-aged man whose son, Ben, was in my sister's grade — was standing by one of his cashiers, assisting her with a belligerent woman. Upon closer inspection, I realized that the woman yelling was Lauren Mallory's mother.

"That damn machine is broken! You still owe me two dollars and fifty-three cents!"

Mr. Cheney sighed heavily while his young cashier — a girl named Alexis who was only a year older than myself — stood awkwardly by his side, her hands wringing in front of her as she nervously took in the raging woman across the counter. I felt so bad for the girl. If this was how it was every week when Mrs. Mallory did her shopping, working here must be hell.

"Ma'am, we have given you the correct change. Now, if you'd please be on your way-"

Mrs. Mallory slammed her hands down on the counter. "I will _not_ be on my way until I get my money!"

As Mrs. Mallory continued on in a fiery tangent on how horrible the service was at the market and how fat the manager was, Mr. Cheney calmly sent Alexis to the back and turned to walk away, leaving the screaming woman alone.

"I'm calling the police!"

Mr. Cheney chuckled. "You do that!" he called over his shoulder as he made his way across the store. "Damn ignorant woman," he mumbled as he grew closer to me.

I stepped forward and got his attention. "Mr. Cheney?"

His bald head jerked up to see me and he sent me a friendly, pudgy smile. "Nori Swan! How can I help you?"

I smiled politely in return. "Well, I'd like to apply for a job here."

Mr. Cheney's smile dimmed as he pursed his lips. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we just aren't looking for anyone right now. Between the staff I already have and the stack of applicants in my office, there's enough workers to keep this place running for the next twenty years."

I nodded, keeping the smile plastered on my face, even as my heart sank. "I completely understand," I said, using my upbeat, slightly high pitched voice I used when talking to adults and being polite. "Thanks anyway."

I turned to walk out of the store, ready to just get in the car and head to the next place, when Mr. Cheney called my name. I glanced over my shoulder.

"One place in town that I know is hiring is Newton's. You could try there."

I bit the inside of my lower lip to keep from grimacing at the name. I would rather cut out my own kidney than work for those god-awful people.

"I'll check it out," I promised, lying through my teeth. "Thanks again, Mr. Cheney."

"Tell your dad I said hello!"

I waved and walked out of the store, my mind turning as I tried to think of where to go next. In a town this small, finding available jobs was like finding a needle in a haystack. It was nearly impossible and I could feel myself being pushed closer and closer to Newton's with each step I took.

I climbed into the car and shoved the key into the ignition with a huff.

"No luck?"

I sent an annoyed look to my passenger and pursed my lips. "Oh no. I'm just pissed that I got the job," I replied sarcastically.

Seth rolled his eyes. "Gosh, don't be snarky with me. I was rooting for you the whole time."

I sighed as I pulled out of the parking lot and headed for the next stop — a Dollar General across town. "I'm sorry, Seth," I murmured. "I'm just really stressed out." That was an understatement.

Lately, my mind consisted of happy thoughts of Embry, nagging thoughts of Jacob and the imprint, and curious thoughts of my sister and what she was doing. Edward hadn't been to the house in over a week, but she still left constantly. I wondered if she was hanging out with Jacob or the vampire.

Along with the pressing thoughts of the people surrounding me, I also had a deep fear of the redheaded vampire coming for Bella in the middle of the night when the wolves weren't there. I could care less about my life. I was terrified for my father, who had no idea of the supernatural events happening around him.

That, paired with the pressure to find a job, only led to extreme stress.

Seth leaned back in the seat and rested his head against the side of the door. "It's okay, Nori. I understand." He smiled warmly over at me. That was the thing I loved about Seth. He never let anything bother him.

We drove in comfortable silence with only the sound of the rock station out of Port Angeles playing on the radio. Seth's eyes were closed, but it was as if he were squeezing them shut forcefully and thinking hard. I didn't say anything. Maybe he needed a moment to sort through his own problems.

Seth had lost his father and turned into a giant wolf with his sister in the past few months. He'd watched so much fall apart in such a short time at such a young age, and yet he continued to keep a smile on his face and cheer up anyone in his presence. The poor kid needed a shoulder, or at least some quiet time to himself.

"Hey, Nori?"

I glanced over at him, barely taking my eyes off of the road for a second before returning them. "Yeah?"

Seth shifted. "Are you okay?"

I almost laughed out loud. Here I was thinking about how Seth probably wasn't as okay as everyone assumed, and he was asking if _I_ was okay?

I stared out the windshield with a bemused look. "I think the question is, are _you_ okay?"

"No, I'm serious. Are you _okay_?"

The emphasis on _okay_ stopped me short as I braked at a stop sign and threw the car into park. I ignored the looks from Pastor Weber as he mowed his lawn and turned to face Seth.

"Okay, what's on your mind?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

Seth sighed and shook his head. "I'm just worried about you, Nori. I've been inside their heads. I know how this whole imprint situation is affecting them. You don't know what you're getting into," he said quickly, his voice raising in temp and tone. "This is all going to blow up in your faces and someone is going to get hurt. Maybe even _killed_. And you're like another sister to me, Nori. I've already watched imprinting ruin one sister's life. I can't sit back and watch it happen to another." He paused to take a breath and look deep into my soul, his eyes pleading with me. "The imprint — it can't be fought. People have tried . . . and failed."

I let out a huff. "What people? Jacob-"

"Jacob's a fucking idiot," Seth snapped loudly, causing me to blanch at his language and tone. Seth _never_ cursed. Hearing him curse now made my stomach churn.

His hands shook slightly before he drew in a deep breath, calming his wolf as he stared solemnly out the windshield. "I've always looked up to Jake, but now he's doing the same thing Sam did and it's going to end badly. I just know it."

"Sam?" I breathed in confusion. I had no clue what Sam had to do with this. He was the last wolf to ever be a part of this triangle the imprint created.

Seth's face scrunched up at my questionary voice. "Sam and Leah dated all through high school," he whispered. I leaned back against the door, ready to listen to Seth's explanation.

"Everyone thought they'd get married after graduation. You know, be _that_ couple that met in diapers and fell in love as freshmen. Kind of like-" He stopped, glancing at me and clearing his throat. He didn't have to finish his sentence. I knew what he meant.

Kind of like Embry and me.

"Sam proposed the day they walked across the stage. Mama took a million pictures of Leah in her cap and gown, wearing that ring. I'd never seen either of them so happy." Seth smiled softly, and I couldn't help but smile with him, even though he wasn't looking at me. It was a sweet memory to picture.

Seth's smile fell as his brows creased and he continued. "Sam disappeared the next day. For two weeks, Leah wouldn't eat. She wouldn't sleep. We were so scared, for her, for Sam . . ."

He shook his head and let it roll back as his eyes closed with a cynical laugh. "Emily came to _fix_ everything." He let his head drop back down and ran a hand over his face tiredly. "She and Leah were best friends since birth. They were born on the same day, two minutes apart. Mama and Aunt Jean swore they were meant to be twins.

"Anyway, Leah and Emily were inseparable, so of course Emily came when Dad called her. We knew she would be the only one to get Leah out of her funk until Sam came back. And when he di-"

A car horn blew behind us, interrupting Seth and scaring the shit out of me. I hit my head on the door and scowled as Seth snickered.

We were silent as I threw the car into drive and took a sharp right, speeding away from the scene.

"Sam imprinted," I finished lamely after a moment, egging Seth on. I had a feeling I knew where this story was heading, but I was too curious and I knew what would happen — as always, curiosity would kill the cat.

Seth nodded. "Yeah," he said softly. "I don't know the details — you'd have to talk to Sam or Emily — but I know Leah's side and I've seen bits and pieces in Sam's head. Sam tried to fight the imprint for Leah. He wanted that life with her, kind of like Jake . . ."

"Like Jacob wants a life with Bella," I whispered.

Seth didn't respond to that. Instead, he continued with the story. "Emily fought her feelings. She was loyal to my sister and would never try to take Sam away from her like that. Like the girl version of bros before hoes."

I smirked slightly. "Chicks before dicks," I amended with a snort.

Seth laughed. "Yeah, I guess. Anyway, they fought it for months before they finally snapped."

Seth motioned to his cheek — the same cheek of Emily's that was damaged.

"The scars," I said, knowing what he meant, as I pulled into the Dollar General parking lot.

Seth nodded. "Sam phased during an argument. He's never forgiven himself for it."

I turned the car off and sighed, leaning back in my seat. It was silent for a long moment, neither of us doing much more than breathing, until I finally sucked in a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm going to go apply," I announced. Seth looked at me, waiting for more. "And then we're going to La Push."

"What are you going to do?" he asked, worried.

"I'm going to talk to Emily."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

I felt a sense of deja vu as I knocked on Emily's front door. It seemed like years ago when I'd been in this same position, my emotions out of whack and the burning in my chest present. That had ended in a hospital trip and blood on Emily's floor.

Today, I just needed to talk to someone who understood. I needed to know if Embry and I were truly doomed.

Emily's words from the bonfire and Seth's story of Leah had me freaking out.

I raised my hand to knock on the door.

Emily's smiling face appeared within minutes as she greeted me warmly.

"Nori, it's good to see you! Come in, come in!" She moved back to let me in. "I wasn't expecting you today."

I shrugged. "I wasn't planning on coming today."

Emily gave me a knowing look and led me by the living room, where Jared and Paul were playing video games, and into the kitchen.

"You caught me in the middle of making dinner," she said as she grabbed an oven mit and opened the oven door. I leaned against the counter and watched her expertly drown the chicken in sauce before putting it back into the oven and tossing the mit onto the counter next to me.

"So what brings you here?" she asked with a smile.

I averted my eyes and picked at my nails. I didn't want her to think I was being nosy. I just needed advice from someone who had lived how I was living.

I sucked in a deep breath and gave way to courage. "I wanted to talk to you about - well, about your scars." I motioned to my face where her scars lay on hers.

I still couldn't meet her eyes.

I heard Emily click her tongue before she softly said, "Jared, Paul, go home."

In less than ten seconds, the front door had slammed shut and the house was eerily quiet. Emily. Leaned against the counter next to me, both of us facing out towards the table.

"How much do you know?" she questioned quietly.

I shrugged. "Seth told me what he knew, from Leah's perspective." Realizing that I was throwing my friend under the bus, I quickly amended my statement. "But he's worried about this whole fighting the imprint thing. He wanted me to understand that it had been tried before and it was impossible to do successfully."

I glanced up to see Emily nod and rub her arm - the arm with scars leading down to the back of her hand.

"Leah was my best friend," she whispered. "We were practically sisters. And when Sam . . . Well, I tried so hard to stay away from him. He was _Leah's._ I would never try to come between her and the man she loved."

My heart twisted at Emily's agonizing tone. It was obvious that she regretted hurting Leah so badly.

"But it was out of my control," she murmured. "Sam and I were drawn to each other in a way we'd never experienced with anyone else before. Even when I was fighting tooth and nail, I still dreamed about him, thought about him, missed him. It was ridiculous."

She laughed as she sniffled and wiped a tear from her cheek.

"One day, we just . . . I don't know. It was like everything we were holding back finally broke free. We couldn't stay away. And when Sam met me on Third Beach, we just started screaming at each other. He was so angry with me for taking away his future with Leah, and I was so angry with him for even considering ruining that future. We screamed until we were hoarse, and then Sam phased."

I had never been good with crying people, but seeing Emily with tears streaming down her face only tore at my heart. I reached to the side and took her hand in mine for comfort.

She squeezed my hand and smiled at me.

"When I woke up in the hospital, Sam was sitting by my bed crying. He thought I was going to die." She shook her head. "To this day, he has never stopped apologizing. I don't think he ever will."

I briefly wondered how I would look with matching scars of Emily's. Would I be able to forgive Jacob if he ever injured me in that way? Would I be able to forgive Embry?

I knew without a doubt that I would. I cared for them both in ways I couldn't understand.

"That is why I'm so scared for you, Nori. Jacob is so hardheaded . . . He won't listen to reason. Sam can't sleep at night because he's so afraid that Jacob will snap and hurt you or your sister." She held onto my wrist with her other arm as she forced me to look at her. "What Jacob is doing - it can't be done."

I shook my head, everything in me wanting to reject Emily's claims. It wasn't fair. Why couldn't things be simple? Why couldn't I love Embry and befriend Jacob? "But Jacob-"

"Jacob doesn't know what he's doing. He's too caught up in the idea of Bella to care about the consequences. He thinks he's saving you from being with someone who will never be able to give their entire heart to you. He's _wrong_ ," Emily spoke vehemently, her eyes blazing as she gazed an inch higher than eye level to meet mine. I was used to being taller than the other girls - minus Leah. She was like an Amazonian model now. It was mind blowing.

The back door opened and Sam walked in with a smile on his face. It quickly fell to a concerned grimace at the sight of Emily's hand clutching mine and her fearful look. I was pretty sure I looked like I was going to puke. Learning of these possible outcomes to fighting the imprint made me want to crawl into bed and never leave it again.

"What happened?" Sam asked lowly, his eyes roaming over Emily's face before shooting me a dark look. I didn't blame him. Last time I came snooping for answers, I ended up nearly tearing Emily's head off.

Emily shook her head as Jacob entered the house behind Sam, coming to stop at his side. His eyes found mine and I shot him a small smile that he didn't return. Emily let my hand go with a final squeeze as she lifted her hand to brush over the scars on her face with a sad smile.

Understanding crossed Sam's face as he gripped the back of the head chair at the table and glanced at Jacob. Jacob was shivering as he glared down at the table top.

"We won't let that happen, Nori. Not again."

Somehow I wasn't so sure about that.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"You really didn't have to do this."

Jacob was sitting behind the wheel of my car, tapping his fingers along to the beat of an Oasis song as I watched him with a smile. I couldn't help it. Being in the presence of my imprint lightened my mood.

Jacob shrugged. "I had nothing else to do."

He had offered to drive me home as I left Emily's shortly after he and Sam arrived. Sam's promise of safety had effectively ended the conversation, making everything tense and awkward in the kitchen. Besides, Bella would have dinner ready in an hour and I had song lyric ideas pressing in the back of my head, begging for release onto a notepad.

 _Wonderwall_ came on and I hummed along mindlessly as I stated out the window. The spring season had begun, showering the world with showers and greenery. So many people hated how green the area was; I loved it.

A deep voice harmonized in humming with mine, and I jerked my head around to see Jacob smirking as he tapped along on the wheel. I was shocked to hear him stay in tune - I was so used to Embry's godawful out of tune screeches that hearing a boy actually hum relatively well blew my mind.

" _Cause maybe,_ " he sang out loud, his voice in perfect tune with the lead singer's.

" _You're gonna be the one to save me,_ " I harmonized with him, grinning as we continued the rest of the song in this fashion.

" _Cause after all. You're my wonderwall."_

We burst into laughter as the song ended and I held up my hand for a high five that he returned with a grin.

"Not bad, if I do say so myself," I praised.

Jacob "hmphed" and glanced over at me, his eyes alight with happiness. It was a nice change from the pain I'd seen at the bonfire. Spending time together really did make everything a little easier.

"I didn't know you could sing," he murmured as he turned onto the main highway. I wanted to tell him that there was a lot he didn't know about me. He'd missed out on ever really knowing anything because of all of those years he'd spent chasing after my sister.

I kept those thoughts to myself and shrugged. "I didn't go to the School of the Arts for my math skills," I joked. It was true — I'd gone on full scholarship for music, both vocal and instrumental. I had an ability to play nearly any instrument I picked up and write poetry daily. It was my life.

At least, it used to be.

Jacob's wide eyes met mine and I briefly worried that he would wreck if he didn't turn back to the road. "If you wreck, I'll kill you," I threatened, though I'm sure my fearful heartbeat told him that I was completely serious.

Jacob chuckled and faced the road again as he said, "I thought it was just a boarding school."

"It was more than that," I murmured as memories of my time spent there and the years I'd worked my butt off to make it that far came flooding back. "It was my dream."

I hated thinking about it.

It was quiet for a moment as Jacob drove, gnawing on his lower lip in thought as music played softly through the car. I leaned my head against the window, watching him out of the corner of my eye and wondering who Jacob Black was underneath the Bella obsession.

I mean, I knew Quil and Seth. I knew their dreams, their favorite colors, their fears. I may have known Embry more than I knew anyone else, but I still knew the big details about my other friends.

If Jacob and I were friends, shouldn't I know some things about him?

I wanted to know what his favorite color was. Was it dark? Light? Girly? Had it been the same all of his life or did it vary?

"Jake?" I murmured softly.

He didn't glance at me, but his lips turned up a bit at the nickname coming from my mouth. "Hm?"

"Do you wanna play twenty questions?"


	35. II: Nine

**Heyo! I decided to edit and change a few things about this chapter so that it would make a bit more sense for future chapters. You guys should probably reread this chapter!**

 **I'm sorry for the slow updates! I promise to work on the next chapter this week. I love you all and your reviews keep me going!**

 **I do not own the lyrics in this chapter. Lauren O'Connell does and I'm very jealous.** **Also, prepare for extreme use of language in this chapter and some wolf/vampire confrontation.**

* * *

The day was overcast, as usual, with the occasional peek of sun through the clouds. Dad had taken off for the weekend with Deputy Mark to fish and Bella had left shortly before him with the Cullen boy. Apparently, they were still together, which only confused me even more. After spending the most part of the day writing essays for online classes, I had finally decided to take a break and relax on the back steps with my guitar and a notepad of song lyrics.

I was determined to finish the song I had started writing the day Bella and I had gone hiking.

I strummed the strings gently, reveling in the sound as my eyes closed and I hummed a random tune that I'd created in my head, harmonizing with the chord.

Plucking the strings, I changed chords and hummed along, writing out a tune in my head.

" _Sometimes I get anxious being here_ ," I sang softly as a chord rang out before I began strumming in a pattern, coming up with a tune as I went.

 _"Checking lists and putting things in gear_."

My eyes opened as my voice carried in the wind that whipped around my face. It was chilly for a June afternoon, but that was how Washington weather could be. Unpredictable.

 _"I'm aware that paper cuts cut clean._ "

I stared out over the vibrant green forest as the words fell from my tongue easily.

" _But one wound closes, there's another and my fingers bleed and drip recurring themes."_

A streak of white amongst the trees caught my attention, stopping me mid strum as rustling in the trees beyond the backyard reached my ears.

Something was out there.

I held the guitar by the neck, prepared to use it as a weapon if necessary, and stood, listening. My eyes scanned the tree line, searching for any signs of life.

The hair on the back of my neck stood up as the feeling of being watched washed over me, sending chills down my spine and making me feel as if I were standing in the center of a horror movie.

"Who's out there?!" I shouted, summoning up every ounce of courage I had so that I could face whoever — or whatever — was out there.

No answer. Another streak of white.

"Quil, so help me God if that's you, I'll stab you in the freaking balls!" I clenched my free hand into a fist as anger coursed through my veins alongside fear. This wasn't funny. This wasn't funny at _all_.

I was already terrified that the redhead was coming after us. This little stunt wasn't helping whatsoever.

The yard was silent as I descended the steps and stood in the grass. The feeling of something not right was churning in my gut, screaming at me to turn around and run.

A twig snapped and I held the guitar higher, prepared to knock whoever it was out. A figure appeared from behind a tree and I gulped roughly at the sight.

His pale skin shimmered barely in the streaks of sunlight peeking through the clouds, his dark hair falling in curls over his forehead. He was large — like a human form of a bear, only he wasn't a human at all.

He was a vampire.

And I was alone.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" I snapped, trying to come off as much tougher than I felt. My heart was hammering against my chest — no doubt noticeable to the inhuman creature a couple of yards away from me.

He grinned. "So, _you're_ Bella's baby sis?"

I blanched. He knew who I was? I mentally made a note to fuss at Bella for spreading the knowledge of my existence among the vampire kind. I didn't need strange bloodsucking creatures showing up looking for me.

I opened my mouth to make a sarcastic retort when a gruff voice from behind me rang out over the yard.

"Hey! Leech! Get the _fuck_ away from her!"

I looked over my shoulder to see Paul, of all people, speed walking from the side of the house, a sneer on his face as his body trembled. He was fully clothed — which was completely unusual for the pack these days — and had a sweater in one hand hanging by his side. It was one that I had let Emily borrow a few nights before when Sam's mother had visited. Emily must have sent Paul to return it.

Thank God for Emily's timing and borrowed clothing.

Paul reached my side and roughly grabbed my waist with one arm, shoving me slightly behind his shivering form as he faced off with the smirking vampire. Any other day, I would have snapped at the wolfboy for manhandling me. Today, I was too glad for his presence to even care.

"Did you hear me, motherfucker?! Or is there _blood_ in your goddamn ears?" Paul growled. I flinched at the rage radiating off of his form. Of all of the pack, Paul was the least in control of his wolf and the most standoffish. Other than the day he nearly attacked me and the occasional day at Emily's, we never really spent time around each other. It was odd to see him so vehement on protecting me.

Then again, I was an imprint and a girlfriend to a pack member. According to Emily, I qualified as part of the gang now.

The vampire grinned slyly at Paul. "I heard you loud and clear," he said smoothly. "You may want to relax before you turn furry on your girlfriend, though."

I narrowed my eyes at the vampire, prepared to correct him, but Paul spoke before I could. "Why the fuck are you here?" he hissed, not even bothering with the 'girlfriend' term. It wasn't the vampire's business who I was, anyway. As long as he knew I was involved with the pack, maybe he would leave.

Leaves rustled and another vampire appeared. This one was thinner, more lean-built and an inch or two shorter. His wavy blonde hair fell just past his jaw line, framing his pale face and highlighting the golden eyes that flitted over the scene before him.

"You must be one of Uley's pack," the blonde said, his voice holding a southern lilt to it that I recognized from my time spent in the south in school. I wondered if it was something he picked up from his years of being a vampire or from before the change.

The dark haired leech smirked. "You're a little far over the line, aren't you, pup?"

Paul tensed, his arms shaking wildly by his sides. "You're a little _far_ from your fucking hunting ground, aren't you, leech?" he spit, sarcasm dripping from his tone like venom.

The vampire's smirk turned into a full-blown grin as the blonde sighed, shooting his friend an exasperated look before gazing intensely at Paul. "Relax," he murmured. "The girl is too close."

A wave of calm washed over me, slowing my heart the intense look on the blonde's face as he stared us down, I knew that it had to be one of the mental abilities that Bella had spoken of before. Much like Edward could read minds, the others had gifts of their own. I shivered behind Paul as his body stopped shaking and his shoulders slumped slightly.

And then, he realized what was happening.

Paul stood straighter with a low rumble in his chest. "Your goddamn mind tricks won't work on me, motherfucker. Now answer the fucking question or leave."

The dark haired vampire snickered at Paul's reaction while the blonde stared at him incredulously before nodding.

"A stranger of our kind was here last night. It came from the south, entered Bella's room while she was away, and left in a getaway car a few miles from here. We came to track it, but it's long gone. No trace," the blonde explained.

I bit my lip to hold back a gasp at the information. A vampire had been in our house? While we were sleeping? I had no idea. It had been close enough to smell me and I'd had _no idea_.

The dark haired vampire must have noticed my shocked facial expression, because he quickly showed pity towards me. "You don't have to worry, Lenora. We're going to be watching over you all now. Nothing is getting past us again."

His words weren't as comforting as he'd probably hoped. I didn't want _more_ vampires watching me. I wanted them all to go away.

"You've done enough," Paul snapped. "We take care of our own. Nori and Charlie will be fucking fine without _your_ help, _bloodsucker_."

The dark haired vampire rolled his eyes while the blonde took a step forward. Paul growled loudly, making the vampire freeze where he was.

"Look, we'd like to discuss all of this with your Alpha. Perhaps come up with a more in-depth plan of protection for the entire Swan family between both sides, considering Bella is more involved with our family and Lenora-"

"Nori," I amended harshly, tired of hearing my awful first name used by people who shouldn't even know it.

The blonde smirked lightly with a nod. " _Nori_ ," he corrected, "is more involved with your pack."

Paul seemed to contemplate this for a moment before he grumbled, "Talk this over with your precious _Bella_. She can arrange a meeting with Jacob or Sam. I don't want anything to do with this shit."

The vampires nodded.

"It was nice meeting you, Nori," the dark haired vampire grinned. He reminded me of Embry with his constant grins. It unnerved me.

Paul growled, warning the vampire.

In a blink, the two were gone and Paul and I were alone in the backyard. I let out a breath I had been holding and nearly cried out as the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks.

Dad could have died last night. I could have died. We weren't even safe anymore in our own house.

Paul ran a frustrated hand through his choppy hair and turned to face me.

"Are you okay?" he asked gruffly, his eyes roaming over my body as if looking for signs of injury. He saw the guitar still in my one hand, held in a white-knuckled grip, and snorted.

I nodded. "I'm fine," I murmured, even though I was far from it.

Paul must have been damn good at reading people, because he raised a brow and motioned towards the house. We walked up the steps, him opening the door and ushering me inside as he glanced around the yard once more and shut the door behind himself.

"Call your sister. Tell her to get up with Jake and-"

I was already shaking my head. "She doesn't have a cell phone," I murmured, still clutching the guitar and standing awkwardly behind the couch.

Paul shoved his hands into the pockets of his cut offs, his fists shaking slightly. If a vampire had been in the house, it probably still smelled. It wasn't helping his wolf.

I laid the guitar on the couch and grabbed a bottle of Febreeze from the shelf by the door and began spraying the room wildly.

"Nori, what . . . what the . . . fuck," Paul sputtered as he waved his arms in front of his face to disperse the strong scent.

I continued spraying, rushing into the kitchen to spray down the room and grab another bottle of Febreeze for the upstairs.

"The leech smell. It's probably everywhere," I said, knowing he'd hear me even from the living room.

"Nori." Paul's arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me away from the stairs as he said, "Dammit, stop. Stop!"

He snatched the can from my hand and threw it across the room. It left a dent in the wall by the back door.

"If you cover the scent, the pack won't be able to track it."

I stared up at him in confusion as he dropped his arm. "But the Cullens already-"

"Fuck them," Paul said with a harsh laugh. "I don't trust their shit. We're going to track this thing and burn it before-" He stopped short, his eyes burning into mine before he shook his head and turned away.

Paul Lahote was a confusing individual. I had noticed that over the course of the past few months I'd spent with the pack and the little bits and pieces I knew of him from before the pack days. His father was an abusive meth addict who was still hanging around the rez and his mother had disappeared when he was a kid. They found her remains a few years later in the woods and determined she'd been killed by wild animals. It was a bizarre story that everyone seemed to question, yet nobody ever dug deeper into the evidence. No wonder the vampires got under Paul's skin so much. He'd already had a shitty childhood and lost his mother to who knows who or what. For a hardass, he still cared about human life. I understood that.

I also knew how it felt to be pitied, and I knew how much one could hate that feeling. Paul seemed like the type to hate it as much as I did.

I headed into the kitchen again and opened the fridge, pulling out a beer and a can of Pepsi. Dad wouldn't miss his drink since an entire shelf was dedicated to his alcohol. Paul was peeking through the blinds of the window next to the back door when I reentered the room.

"Catch." I tossed the can of beer across the couch to his massive form. Paul turned just in time to snag the can mid-air and eye it.

He sent me a crooked grin. "Thanks," he muttered, cracking the top and chugging it down before wiping his mouth with the back of his right hand and crushing the can with his left.

I did the same, crushing the can of Pepsi I held to match his beer can.

Paul snorted. "You're pretty cool — for a girl."

I rolled my eyes and held out my hand, catching the can he tossed me with ease. "I'm cooler than you, and that's all that matters," I retorted over my shoulder as I disappeared into the kitchen to toss the cans and grab two more.

"So, are you going to give me my sweater, or . . .?" I asked with a laugh as I handed Paul his beer and motioned to the sweater that was now draped over his shoulder. He glanced down at it and scowled before ripping it off and tossing at me.

"Who the fuck wears sweaters in June, anyway?" he grumbled as he sprawled out on the couch.

"Who the fuck asked for your opinion, bruh?" I teased, earning an eye roll from the wolfboy. "Sweaters are life. Don't judge." I said as I took over Dad's recliner and cracked open the can in my hand.

Paul looked slyly over at me. "Chug war?"

I grinned mischievously and nodded. "Hell yeah."

We tipped our drinks back and chugged, stopping only when they were empty. The bubbles burned and made my eyes water as I choked down the drink as fast as possible, ignoring the need to burp as the caffeinated liquid slid down my throat.

As soon as the last drop hit my tongue, I crunched the can and looked over at Paul who had crunched his can half a second after me.

I laughed loudly. "Ha! Winner!"

Paul gaped, looking between our cans in surprise before he scowled. "Dammit," he grumbled, tossing his can onto the table and leaning back with a huff.

I couldn't keep the smug grin off of my face. As strange as it was, hanging out with Paul was rather fun.

But, I knew that he was here for an ulterior motive, and it needed to be discussed.

"Should we call Sam?" I asked softly before letting out a belch and playing with the crunched can in my hands. I wasn't afraid to be myself around anyone, even attractive werewolves.

Paul belched and pounded his chest lightly as he shrugged. "I'd rather not have the bossman on my ass for this. The leeches can take it up with him." He stood up from the couch and stretched. "I _am_ taking you to Jake's, though."

I blanched at him as he walked out of the room and into the kitchen. "Why?!" Of all places, why _there_?

Jumping to my feet, I followed after him. He had tossed his can into the trash and was leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his broad chest. "There's no way in hell I'm leaving you here alone and I'm not about to spend the night in this fucking leech infested place."

I rolled my eyes and tossed my own can away. "You can take me to Embry's, then," I said as I rushed up the stairs to grab a few things for my overnight trip. I could sense Paul shadowing me, even though he didn't make a sound.

I grabbed an army backpack from my dad's days in the reserves from my closet and began tossing random necessities inside. Paul leaned against the doorframe, watching as I grabbed clothes from the chest of drawers and stuffed them into the bag.

I hoisted the bag onto my shoulder and turned to the massive boy standing in my doorway. "Okay, let's go."

Paul nodded and led the way down the stairs and out to his car. It was a rusted bucket of bolts, with duct tape holding plastic over one backseat window and a dent in the door underneath. I ignored the obvious signs of damage and hopped into the passenger seat. I wasn't one to complain or judge.

Paul started the car after a few cranks and headed off to La Push in silence.

I used the time to contemplate what had happened that afternoon. If a strange vampire had arrived in Bella's room the night before while Dad and I had been asleep — a vampire that not even the Cullens knew — then, the likelihood of us dying could have very easily been high. The vampire could have stood over my bed as I slept, pondering whether or not it should make me its midnight snack.

I shuddered as the images bombarded me.

How would I be able to stay in Forks now without fearing for my life? For Dad's life? I would have to get a job soon so I could pay Quil or Embry to play watchdog.

I blinked, coming out of my reverie as Paul stopped the car in a muddy yard. Jacob's yard.

"I thought I said Embry's."

Paul rolled his eyes and opened the car door. "Look, I'm not getting into your love triangle bullshit, but you're safer at Jake's than anywhere else. You're his imprint." He shrugged and grabbed the bag from between my feet. "Plus, Embry is on patrol tonight."

I followed reluctantly as Paul walked straight into the Blacks' house without knocking, calling out Jacob's name as soon as we crossed the threshold. Jacob appeared from the short hallway that led to the three small bedrooms — one of which was still uninhabitable, thanks to Paul and Jacob's fight months ago.

Jacob had obviously been asleep, what with his shaggy hair sticking up in places and the red tinge to one cheek where he had smushed it against the pillow. He yawned as his eyes found me. He blinked and quickly closed his mouth in confusion.

"What's going on?" he questioned, his eyes returning to Paul as he straightened his posture, as if stating his dominance.

Paul tossed the army bag at Jacob, who caught it expertly with one hand and glanced at it. "Your girl here is gonna need to stay with you tonight. I just saved her ass from the Cullens, and apparently they weren't the only ones snooping around the Swan place."

I rolled my eyes but said nothing. As tough as I liked to try to be, I was still scared to death and Paul really had saved my life — that is, if the Cullens had planned to do anything to me. I still didn't trust them one hundred percent. I didn't know any of them, sans Edward.

Jacob's face turned dark as his hands shook lightly. " _What?!"_ he growled, turning a questioning gaze to me.

I didn't know if he was angry that I was staying, angry that a strange vampire was at my house, or angry that Paul was the one saving me from the Cullens. I kept my mouth shut and looked away.

"Man, I don't know what the fuck is going on, but Bella is going to call you or Sam and make plans on protecting the Swans. I swear, leeches are coming out of the goddamn woodwork when it comes to this family."

I snorted. "Ain't that the damn truth," I muttered, earning a smirk from Paul and a grimace from Jacob.

Paul glanced between Jacob and I before taking a step back towards the front door. "I've got patrol, so I'm gone. Later, Jake."

He turned to walk out the door, but I stopped him with a hand on his bicep as he moved past me.

"Thanks, dude. You know . . ." I murmured, trying not to make it awkward for him or mushy. I just wanted him to understand how much I appreciated his help and that I really was thankful.

Paul nodded, his face blank but his eyes softer than they usually were around people. I took that as a sign of acceptance by him as he continued out the door, leaving me alone with Jacob.

We stood in silence for a moment before Jacob sighed and ran a hand down his face tiredly.

"Well, shit."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

After explaining in detail what exactly had happened that afternoon, Jacob had to step outside to take deep breaths and cool off before he phased as the reality of the situation set in - something was looking for Bella, and very nearly could have had me for an appetizer. I didn't blame Jacob for being so out of sorts now. The girl he loved and the girl he was bound to had both been in danger. Anyone in his position would be freaking out.

While he was outside, I squandered up some boxed macaroni and cheese. It was after seven o'clock and my stomach was screaming at me to feed it. The cheesy dish was on plates and ready to be eaten by the time Jacob walked back inside with leaves in his hair and his hands still slightly shaking.

I laughed at the sight and handed him a plate before picking out three leaves from his head and tossing them in the trash. He pressed his lips together to hide his grin and brushed a hand over his head to be rid of the rest of the debris.

With our plates and bottles of water in hand, we lounged on the couch in front of reruns of The Andy Griffith Show and chowed down in silence.

The thing about silence with Jacob, though, was how comfortable it was. I never felt the need to fill it with small talk or rambling like I did with everyone else. My anxiety levels would rise with every minute of quiet as I searched for words or wondered if the other person felt awkward. Even with my close friends and Embry, I couldn't feel completely at ease in silence.

But with Jacob, I did.

I scraped my plate clean and laid it on the coffee table as I curled back on the couch, my legs tucked underneath me and my head resting on the cushions behind it. It had been a long day and I was more than ready for it to be over.

Jacob seemed to have the same sentiment, because he grabbed up the plates with his still shaking hands and left them in the sink before he disappeared down the hallway, returning a few minutes later with a stack of old quilts and two pillows under his arms.

He tossed a pillow to me and motioned for me to move out of the way. I stood and watched him tuck a thick quilt around the cushions of the couch with his jittery hands and remove the throw pillows and plush cushions from the back, leaving more room to sleep. He laid a thinner quilt over the top to wrap up in and straightened with a nod.

"You can take the couch," he said quietly as he turned and began laying another quilt on the floor. I sat down on the couch, still clutching the pillow he'd thrown to me as I stared at him curiously.

"What are you doing?"

He didn't look at me as he responded. "You don't think I'm leaving you alone all night after what happened, do you?"

I didn't say a word as he grabbed the remote from the coffee table and laid down, his back to me as he watched television.

I was speechless. I knew Jacob was my friend now, and after our game of twenty questions, I knew him better than I ever had before. But seeing him willingly sleep on the floor to watch over me through the night was by far the kindest gesture I had ever gotten from him and I wanted nothing more than to hug him.

I didn't, though. I wasn't sure if we were that close yet.

The army bag I had brought was sitting by the end of the couch, so I snatched it up and headed for the single bathroom in the hallway to change into pajamas and take care of my nightly routine.

After washing my face and switching out my skinny jeans and cotton t-shirt for pajama shorts and one of Embry's large t-shirts that I'd stolen two years ago when Quil had "accidentally" attacked me with mustard and ketchup, coating my clothes and hair in the sauces as I'd walked into Embry's house one afternoon — needless to say, Quil ended up on the floor writhing in pain from his nether region and I stole clothes from my best friend — I found myself staring in the mirror.

In the past five months since I'd returned to Washington, I had changed. Not only emotionally and mentally, but physically. Dark circles were now under my eyes, making me seem tired and stressed. My pale skin seemed even more luminescent than usual, and my layered brown locks fell in drab chunks around my round, puffy face. I looked so sick.

I pulled my hair back from my face into a high ponytail so I wouldn't have to see the thin locks and turned away from the mirror. Seeing the dreary expression in my eyes and the sickly pallor to my skin only made me feel nauseous and angry with the Quileute legends - legends I'd loved before they became true.

The sound of water running and dishes clanking was heard from the kitchen as I returned to the couch and curled up against the arm, cuddling the pillow to my side while I watched episodes of The Golden Girls. Sophia was my role model, to be honest. Her quick wit and ability to speak her mind when nobody else wanted to was amazing and ballsy. I wanted to be that courageous.

Jacob entered the room and held a hand against the wall. "I'm turning the light out, okay?"

I nodded and he flipped the switch, leaving us in only the glow of the square television set. I pulled the quilt up to my shoulders and relaxed back onto the couch, my mind wondering if Embry had come across any vampire trails on patrol so far, or if Bella or the Cullens had called Sam to tell him of the strange visitor.

The house was eerily quiet, save for the soft sounds of The Golden Girls speaking as Jacob laid back down, and then I realized why.

"Where's your dad?" I asked. It wasn't like Billy to not come home by now unless he was on a fishing trip, and I knew that he wasn't with my dad and Deputy Mark.

Jacob looked up from his clenched, trembling hands. "Uh, he went to Seattle for the weekend. Rachel moved back to Washington."

If my jaw hadn't been attached to my skull, it would have fallen off at the news. After Sarah Black's death, the twins had acted out and sworn they'd never return to Washington.

Rebecca had dropped out of high school, married the first out of towner she came across, and left for Hawaii. Her family didn't know until she sent them a postcard, which was a pretty solid _fuck you_ to her grieving father and younger brother.

Meanwhile, Rachel had stuck around just long enough to graduate before she took a scholarship for NYU and left in the middle of the night. She'd told her father that she was sick of living in this dump, and she'd never come back. Billy never asked her to. He understood her need to get away.

So, hearing that Rachel had stepped foot in the state once again of her own free will was a huge surprise.

"Yeah — wild, right?" Jacob mumbled as he leaned back, crossing his arms under his head so that he could stare up at the circulating ceiling fan.

I nodded and turned my attention back to the television. Blanche and Dorothy were picking on Rose once again, bringing laughs from the audience.

"Nori?"

My eyes darted back to Jacob at the sound of his whisper. "Mmhm?"

Jacob's face scrunched up, and it was then that I noticed that his head was vibrating. His hands were still shaking underneath his head.

"Can I—" He sat up, bringing his arms down so that he could stare down at his white-knuckled, shivering fists. "Can I touch you?"

I blinked before a laugh burst from my lungs. "You want to do _what_ now?"

Jacob scowled and let out a heavy sigh. "Dammit, that's not what I meant. The wolf — it needs contact. It's driving me crazy," he admitted, his voice growing softer the more he spoke.

Even though I didn't understand, I knew that Jacob wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary. He was too obsessed with my sister. Our friendship was strictly platonic.

I patted the empty space next to me. Jacob slowly stepped over the small coffee table and took a seat barely two inches away. Taking his shaking hand in mine, I nearly gasped out loud as sparks shot down my arm and into my stomach. Jacob and I rarely had skin-to-skin contact. I wondered if this would be normal should we make contact more often.

Jacob squeezed my hand in his as he began to relax back into the cushions. He had been so tense — it was obvious by the way his shoulders slumped and his facial muscles fell to show just how exhausted Jacob Black was.

It was then that I really _saw_ Jacob. He looked so much older - as if the imprint and the phasing had aged him far beyond his sixteen years. Even farther than it had aged his brothers. He looked like a man barely hanging by a thread.

He looked like me.

Deep circles were underneath his drooping eyes while his dark skin seemed paler than normal. His cheeks had sunken in slightly, giving him a sickly look when one took the time to really _look_ at him.

The only trace of the old Jacob was in the laugh lines around his mouth and the dark brown of his eyes.

"Just — just bear with me for a second," he murmured, turning to me to gaze into my eyes before running his eyes over my form along with his free hand.

I froze. "Jacob . . ." I trailed off, fear lacing my tone as images of past horrific events filled my head.

Jacob shook his head quickly. "I swear, I'm not — It's not like that. I just need—" He traced my outer thigh up to my hip bone, tickling my side gently as he made his way up to my shoulder and traced my collarbone to my chin. "I need to make sure you're okay." He smoothed the fallen tendrils from my ponytail back from my face and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath as I bit my lip nearly hard enough to draw blood.

"Thanks," he breathed, withdrawing his hand and squeezing mine that he still held.

I nodded, but said nothing. I was trying to calm my racing nerves. I knew Jacob would never harm me in that sense, but the fear was still there.

"You're scared," he said matter-of-factly in a low voice, his eyes searching my face.

"I didn't know what you were trying to do," I admitted. "I don't have the best track record with that kind of stuff." I forced a chuckle that sounded more like I was choking and pulled my hand from his, wrapping my arms around my midsection and turning my gaze back to the television.

Jacob seemed to understand that I didn't want to talk about it, so he leaned back and kept his hands to himself.

He spoke after a moment of silence. "I'm sorry I scared you."

I nodded and gave him a small smile. "I know. I'm sorry I freaked out a little bit." He needed reassurance - I could feel it in my bones - so I reached out and took his hand in mine again, pulling it into my lap as I compared our hands out of boredom. His hand was nearly twice the size of mine, and much darker in color. A tiny mark of black between his thumb and forefinger caught my attention, and I pulled his hand closer to my face to see the tiny _S_ scrawled on the web of flesh there.

"Is this a tattoo?" I asked incredulously, my eyes shooting up to his in surprise.

Jacob released his lip from where he had been chewing on it and gazed at his hand. "Yeah, Jared did it. He's a damn good artist." Jacob motioned to his shoulder, where the tribal tattoo that the entire pack had was present. "He did these for everyone, including himself."

My eyes were wide as I took the information in. I had assumed that the guys went to a tattoo parlor, like the one in downtown Forks, to have their ink done. It looked so professional and perfect.

"Do you have any other tattoos?" I questioned after a moment as I traced the tiny _S_ with my forefinger.

Jacob smirked. "A couple dozen," he joked lightly, shrugging.

I rolled my eyes and stared at him pointedly, making him snort and pull up his cut offs to reveal a large piece on the top of his thigh that had to have taken hours to complete. The head and chest of a russet wolf were facing straight from his leg in a black circular frame. The chest of the wolf had a gaping hole where the heart should have been and its dark brown eyes were staring out intensely, as if trying to convey the amount of pain and sadness it felt at the loss of its inner pieces. The background behind the wolf was a mass of black and blue crosshatching that matched the gaping hole, as if seeing through the wolf's chest. The words _Que Quowle_ were written in black cursive over the top in an arc, following the outer black line of the circle.

I traced the words, not caring that I was touching Jacob's thigh. I was mesmerized by the pure torment that radiated from the artwork. Jared had truly done a fantastic job in recreating the feelings deep in Jacob's soul.

"What does this mean?" I asked as I touched the wording.

Jacob stayed quiet for a moment until I pulled my hand back and looked up at him. He had a strange look on his face, as if he wasn't sure whether to tell me or not. He finally opened his mouth and murmured, "It means 'Stay with me forever.'" His eyes moved over the piece before he shoved the pants leg of his cut offs down over the tattoo, hiding it from our vision once again.

I wondered what it meant. Was it a tribute to Bella? His mother? Who else had he lost?

"I want a tattoo on my leg, too," I told him out of the blue, trying to take the focus off of his tattoo like he obviously wanted to. Jacob turned to look at me. I had planned out all of the tattoos I wanted to get in my lifetime. I just had to wait until I was eighteen, since my father would never give his permission. "I think I'll start with something small, though. You know, just to make sure I can handle the needle." I held up my left arm and touched the soft, inner skin below my armpit. "I want the outline of a triangle here. That way, when I get married one day, my husband can get a matching one that's filled in." I shrugged, expecting Jacob to laugh at that notion. "I just thought it would be a cool thing to share with that person and still be able to hide it for job aspects and whatnot."

I used to imagine Embry as that person to share the triangle with. Now, while I still wanted to imagine it as him, I wasn't so sure anymore.

I glanced up and found myself surprised at Jacob's understanding expression. "That sounds pretty awesome," he admitted softly. Our eyes locked for a full ten seconds, and for the first time, I noticed the tiny flecks of golden brown in Jacob's dark eyes. I blamed it on the television light that was reflecting off of us.

"We should probably get some sleep. Bella will probably call in the morning."

I nodded and pulled the quilt higher up over my shoulders as Jacob leaned forward to stand. Instead, he leaned back quickly and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to this chest in a bone-crushing hug. It took me a full two seconds before I reacted and wrapped my arms around his waist, hugging him back. Waves of relief and calm washed over me, sending me into a state of euphoria in his arms. I would have to talk him into hugs more often, if this was the reaction I'd have. It would be like my own stress relief.

All too soon, Jacob leaned back and sent me a small smile. "Goodnight, Nori," he murmured, squeezing my hand once before he stood and made his way back to his bed on the floor.

I smiled over at him just before he turned the television off. "Goodnight, Jake."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Bella called early the next morning. I ignored the bile rising in my throat at the sight of Jacob's ecstatic face when he answered the phone.

I changed and readied myself for the day as Jacob talked to her and Edward, his voice changing from happy to annoyed as soon as they switched places. His voice carried over the tiny house as I braided my hair and washed my face before applying a layer of foundation to cover the redness from rosacea and slinging my bag over my shoulder. Jacob was leaning against the back of the couch, the landline in his hand as his free arm was wrapped around his middle, supporting the arm that held up the phone to his ear. His black hair was wet from his shower and falling into his eyes, curling around his ears and leaving tiny beads of water on his bare shoulders. Again, he was only in cut offs, which I had come to accept as being the normal attire for all of the wolves now.

"I'm going to get the scent of your visitor so we can track him if he comes back," he said into the phone, his face serious.

He was quiet for a moment before he laughed. "Oh, _please_ , Bella." He hung up and moved to place the phone back on its cradle by the kitchen door. His eyes found me as he did so.

"You ready?"

I nodded and headed for the door without another word. I wasn't angry with him — I was moreso confused with my own internal feelings. While I knew I was in love with Embry, I wanted desperately to have a friendship with Jacob that would appease the imprint and make life easier on both of us. So far, it had worked to a certain extent. However, something inside me wanted more. I wanted hugs and laughter and normalcy. I wanted the friendship he had with Bella.

Jealousy was an ugly thing and I hated it with a passion.

Jacob followed me out to the Rabbit and quietly headed towards Forks. We didn't speak the entire way there, though it was obvious that Jacob wanted to say something. He would take a deep breath in, open his mouth, and then think better of it and shake his head. Each time, my heart rate would increase and then I'd stare out the window again, glancing over to him every now and then while waiting for him to eventually spit it out.

He didn't.

Instead, Jacob pulled up in front of Embry's and stopped by the curb. The tiny house — much like many of the houses on the reservation — had a porch full of junk and dangling wind chimes, while the yard contained three battered shells of cars covered in weeds. Embry's mother's actual working car was parked by the porch in the middle of the yard with no cares.

I reached for the handle, but paused as my fingers touched the cool metal. Turning to face Jacob, I caught his eye before speaking. "Thank you, Jacob. For everything."

Jacob gave a closed-mouth smile that seemed more like a grimace. He took my other hand in his and squeezed it.

"Call me if you need anything, Nori," he said softly. "It's what friends are for." His grin turned a little more genuine.

I smiled and nodded before climbing out of the car and heading towards the house.

The Rabbit stayed put until the door was safely closed behind me. And then, he headed to Bella.


	36. II: Ten

**Hey, guys! Long time, no see! I apologize for the wait - I 've been swamped with school work and end of semester projects. BUT exams are this week and then I will be freeeeeee! The excitement is too real right now.**

 **I'm hoping to finish Part II of Sunburn this month, considering there are only about ten more chapters before Part III. I've been playing around with ideas for Part III (Breaking Dawn) and I'm really excited for it! More imprints, drama, vampires, weddings, and Nori-probs!**

 **I have a question for you guys, though. What would you like to see happen with Nori/Jacob and Nori/Embry?**

 **Please review! They give me motivation and happiness!**

* * *

 _"Hey babe. I know we had plans for the day, but Sam put me on patrol again in Jared's place. Apparently, Kim has a doctor's appointment in Seattle or something. I don't know. I miss you. I promise I'll make it up to you, babe. Bye."_

I flipped the phone shut and stared out the window into my backyard. Dating a werewolf sucked, especially when threats were so close and patrol was absolutely necessary nowadays. I missed the days when Embry and Quil would just come over and spend the entire day hanging out, before they became furry creatures. I missed the normalcy of it all.

I replayed Embry's voicemail, my brows furrowing as he spoke of Kim's appointment. For her to go all the way to Seattle meant that something more than a checkup was happening. I hadn't seen my friend in over a week, mostly because of her spending so much time tutoring Jared so the two could graduate together. The boys were all behind in their studies. It would be a miracle for them to all graduate on time with the rest of their classmates.

I dialed Kim's number and held the phone to my ear as her automated voicemail spoke in my ear. As soon as it beeped, I left her a quick message, asking if everything was all right and letting her know that I wanted to see her lovely face sometime in the near future. She couldn't hole up with Jared forever.

I sprawled out on my back onto my bed and stared up at the ceiling. Jacob had tracked the vampire a few days ago and reported back to Sam. They had agreed that a wolf should always be present on patrol around our home. The Cullens had allowed this, as long as they were also allowed to always keep an eye on us as well. Sam had reluctantly agreed for both mine and Bella's sakes.

Sam was a smart guy sometimes. I felt deeply for him as he tried to play leader over a gang of wily wolves, all at the age of twenty-one. He was practically a kid himself. He should have been out drinking with his college buddies in the city, not giving up his future to guide high schoolers in battles against bloodsucking creatures.

The world was a crazy place. I'd just never realized _how_ crazy until now.

My hands played with the button of my high waisted jean shorts. I had already dressed and prepared myself for our afternoon date, but now that Embry had to patrol, my efforts were wasted. I was too lazy to change, though. I'd spent so much time trying to look attractive, I was definitely not letting it go to waste now.

I stood and crossed the hallway to knock on the door directly across from mine. Bella has just gotten home from school a few minutes before. I hoped she'd be in the mood to go do something with me. We rarely spent time together, especially now that we were involved in the supernatural mess. Now that my friends were patrolling so often, I had no one to really hang out with except her.

"Come in!" her soft voice called from the other side.

I opened the door and stepped into her spotless room. Bella was sitting at the head of her bed, cross-legged, with books surrounding her. It was obvious that she had been studying for finals.

"What're you up to?" I asked before mentally face palming. I had literally just realized what my sister was doing seconds before the question left my mouth.

Bella motioned to the papers in front of her. "I'm just catching up on some studying. Did you need something?"

I sighed dramatically and fell over the end of her bed, smothering my face into her comforter and bouncing lightly in place from the impact. "I'm bored," I complained, my voice coming out muffled from the material suffocating me.

Bella giggled softly. "Why don't you call Quil or Embry?"

"Patrol."

"Seth?" she questioned.

"Helping Sue at the diner."

Bella was quiet for a minute before she whispered, "What about Jake?"

I shrugged and rolled over onto my back so that I could gulp in fresh air. "He's probably asleep. It's been a crazy week." That was an understatement. Ever since the Cullens alerted Paul and I of the vampire in our home, the boys had been patrolling nonstop and while they used to only rotate two wolves per patrol, they had upped their numbers to four wolves per patrol. Three for La Push and one for our backyard and surrounding area. With only eight wolves in the pack, it meant that the boys were constantly either asleep or on patrol, which led to stressing them out and leaving no time for us girlfriends to spend with our better halves.

I missed Embry. I missed my friends. I even missed Jacob.

Bella picked up the scattered papers and began tapping them lightly against her knee, evening them as she stacked the papers together. "It really has. Edward has barely left my side since . . ." she trailed off, biting her lip as she stuck the papers in a folder. I understood what she meant. Since the vampire showed up in her bedroom the one night she stayed away from home.

Holding my hands up over my head slightly, I picked at a hangnail. "What is it like?" I asked quietly, afraid of offending my sister but curious all the same. "You know, dating one of _them_."

Bella snorted. "I could ask you the same thing."

I rolled my eyes and turned to lay on my side as I rested my head against my propped up arm. "Come on. It's different," I said as she leaned back against the headboard and stared at me. "Embry is human. Edward is, well . . ." I gestured wildly with my free hand. "He's _not_."

Bella's eyes narrowed at me slightly before she cleared her throat and sat forward, resting her forearms on her knees. "Edward may not be one hundred percent human, but neither are any of the pack. The only difference besides obvious abilities is the fact that Edward's heart does not beat and theirs do." She tucked a bit of hair behind her ear as her brows furrowed. "But Edward feels just as much as any other human. He has emotions, he has a conscience. He isn't as _heartless_ as you think." Bella's eyes flickered up to meet mine. "Does that make sense?"

I sucked my bottom lip in between my teeth as I nodded. I could see what she meant. As strange as it was, she truly believed her vampire was as close to human as any of the other supernatural creatures. It didn't mean I would date any of his kind or trust those outside of the Cullen family. I was strictly a wolf girl.

"So, you and Embry, huh?" Bella murmured, a small smirk gracing her features as she effectively steered the subject away from her leech love.

I could feel a blush creeping up my neck as I pressed my lips together to hold back the grin that threatened. Our relationship was still so new that I couldn't stop the giddy feeling that hit every time someone mentioned it.

" _Maybe_ ," I drawled as the grin began to break across my face.

Bella smirked wider. "I think that's fantastic. It's like one of those cheesy movies, where the best friends fall in love and live happily ever after. You're perfect for each other."

I opened my mouth to respond, but Bella continued. "You shouldn't let anything stop you both from staying together. Legends be damned."

My heart stopped for a full second as I stared wide-eyed at my sister. What the hell was _that_? As far as I knew, she'd never been told anything about the imprint, and yet here she was, spouting off advice as if she was in on the secret. I was stunned speechless.

Bella didn't seem to notice. "Edward still isn't too thrilled over my friendship with Jake. I'm sure you understand, though. I mean, Embry probably doesn't let you see him either, right?"

I blinked, trying to catch up to the conversation and find my voice. Clearing my throat, I stared at my sister incredulously. "Actually, Jacob and I are pretty close." Okay, that was a lie. But I was still so shocked over Bella's declaration and then her acting as if Embry controlled me and I wasn't _allowed_ to be friends with Jacob. It was ridiculous. "Embry doesn't have a say in who I hang out with. In fact, he's totally fine with mine and Jacob's friendship." At least that part was true.

Bella fidgeted nervously as she stared at me intensely. "R-Really? You and Jake are . . . _close_?" she asked, nearly choking out the final word. It almost made me laugh cruelly at how obvious she was being. She liked Jacob, even though she was dating Edward. She liked my imprint and couldn't handle the fact that I was close to him as well.

I remembered the day I thought of coming to Bella for advice on understanding Jacob. Hearing her now, I was pretty sure she'd be the _last_ person to help me.

"I stayed at his place last night," I said with a shrug, though I knew that the ulterior motive was my protection and _not_ because Jacob and I had a close friendship. Bella didn't seem to know that, though, and seeing her bite her lip and pick at her nails in jealousy and shock made me feel victorious. It also made me feel pretty shitty, because I loved my sister and I didn't want to lie and say things to hurt her.

Either way, I was screwed.

"Just, um, be careful, okay?" she murmured, glancing up to look at me from underneath her long lashes. "Jacob has gone through a lot. I don't want to see him hurting anymore."

The comebacks that danced on my tongue fell silent as I took in Bella's words. She truly did care for Jacob, even if she had a sucky way of showing it.

I nodded. "I would never hurt him," I whispered, the words ringing in my ears as nothing but the truth. He was my imprint. No matter how messed up our lives got, I would never be able to intentionally hurt him. I'd also try my damndest not to _unintentionally_ hurt him either.

"So, how does this whole dating a vampire thing work?" I questioned, trying to move the conversation to a topic away from Jacob. "I mean, can he even _do it_ with a human?"

Bella's eyes widened at my brazen words and a blush covered her cheeks as I snickered. She obviously hadn't hung around me often enough.

"W-We, uh-" she stuttered, her cheeks darkening. "He wants to wait until marriage."

I blinked. I definitely wasn't expecting _that_ answer. The thought of a vampire even mentioning marriage to a human was strange.

"I guess that means you guys will never go through with it, huh?"

Bella shrugged one shoulder and tucked more hair behind her ear. "Not exactly . . ."

I raised a brow. "What-"

"I want to marry him," Bella interrupted.

The air I had been in the process of breathing caught in my throat, causing me to cough and sputter out, "Are you _insane_?!" I coughed and cleared my throat. "I mean, he'd never age. You'd have to actually _change_ into . . ."

I trailed off as I noticed Bella's sheepish expression. Shit.

"You're insane." The words were quiet, even though I was internally screaming. The thought of my sister becoming a bloodsucking leech made my skin crawl.

She didn't seem to share my sentiment. "I love him, Nori. I love humanity, but I love him more." She gazed straight into my soul. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Did I? My sister wanted to commit suicide in a way and live forever as a corpse. She was willing to give up everything for a guy who left her once already.

She was crazy. The thing was, I knew I'd do the same thing for Embry or Jacob.

"Does Jacob know?" I was afraid of how much more pain he'd be in if he knew of Bella's plan.

She nodded and my heart constricted. "I told him weeks ago. He's determined to fight for me until the end." Her eyes watered and she sniffled. "I love him so much, but I can't _live_ without Edward. I hate being torn in two constantly."

For the first time in my life, I could completely sympathize with my sister. Here she was, torn between two boys, and I had judged her so harshly when I was in the same damn boat.

I reached forward and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently. "Jacob is stubborn as a mule," I said, using a phrase our grandmother had used constantly as we were growing up. "He'll fight, and he'll lose when you choose Edward again. But he'll grow stronger from it and you will always have a friend in him."

Bella stared at me for a moment before smiling softly. "You know, you've gotten so wise on me," she joked.

"Supernatural shit does that, I guess."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Warm arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me back against a strong chest. I leaned my head against his collarbone as he pressed his lips against my neck.

"How's my favorite girl?"

I chuckled as I elbowed my boyfriend in the ribs. "She'd be better if you'd let her go before the soup burns."

Embry's arms disappeared immediately, releasing me to stir the enormous pot of soup on Emily's stove. I had decided to visit after Edward arrived to see Bella during our girl talk. While I knew that the Cullens were only looking out for us, I still felt uneasy being alone around them. Bella could marry into the leech family, but I preferred to stick to the wolves.

Upon seeing me at her door, Emily had been ecstatic to have help in preparing dinner for the pack. She'd put me to work heating the soup as she prepared a mountain of sandwiches at the counter perpendicular to me.

"Embry, if she burns that soup, you're paying for it," Emily warned as she laid another sandwich on the growing pile.

Embry snickered but otherwise kept his hands away from me as he leaned back against the counter and crossed his arms. His hip bumped mine and I leaned to the side and rest my head against his bicep. Having him close was comforting; I hadn't seen him in what felt like forever. I missed having my best friend around, and the fact that we could now make out only made the separation more depressing.

The mother hen tossed the last sandwich onto the pile and hurriedly washed her hands in the sink as she looked over her shoulder to Embry. "Don't let your brothers eat until _everyone_ is here," she ordered, drying her hands. "I've got to get sheets on the guest bed." With that, she disappeared from the room in a flurry, leaving Embry and I to shrug at each other and turn back to the soup.

I turned the open off and set the lid on the pot and wound my arms around Embry's waist from the side.

"I missed you," I whispered, tilting my head back to look up at my overly tall boyfriend.

He grinned and leaned down to peck the tip of my nose. "I missed you more. Paul wouldn't shut up because you were all I could think about."

I couldn't help the blush that creeped up on to my cheeks. Hearing him admit that he thought about me when I wasn't around only made me fall for him harder.

The back door opened and three more wolves burst into the room, laughing rambunctiously and shoving each other. Quil had Jared in a headlock as Paul howled like a hyena at whatever had provoked the boys to begin roughhousing.

Embry chuckled and held me closer to his side as Jared wriggled out of Quil's grasped and body slammed the younger boy to the floor. Paul doubled over, gasping between laughs as Embry pressed his face into my hair and tried to suppress his laughter. I let the giggles flow from my mouth freely as Quil began griping from the floor about how Jared "wasn't playing fair."

"What in the hell are you boys doing?!" Emily exclaimed. Her hands were on her hips as she stared, wide-eyed, down at the two wolves. Her eyes flitted around the room at the rest of us. They met mine, and at the sight of the tears of laughter in my own, she rolled hers. I couldn't miss the way her lips twitched as she fought her own smile.

"Sorry, Em," Jared murmured as he let Quil go and stood. My childish friend joined him and scowled at the older boy.

Emily opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the doorbell ringing. We all froze — nobody ever rang the doorbell around here.

Emily's face suddenly lit up in a smile as she said, "They're here!" and turned to rush down the hallway. With the way she was running around like a chicken with her head cut off, I could only wonder who was supposed to be visiting.

Sam stepped through the back door just as Emily's voice floated down the hallway, the melodic tone full of excitement as she greeted her guest. Sam's usually stoic face broke into a grin as a tiny body flew into the room, ducking under the massive boys standing around and throwing itself into Sam's arms.

"Sam! Sam! Sam!"

Sam chuckled and bent to catch the creature and, once he'd stood to full height with it in his arms, I could see exactly what was going on. A tiny, toddler girl was in his beefy arms, and from the way she shared so many features from Emily, I could only assume Emily's brother had arrived.

Ethan Young still lived on the Makah reservation. I'd never met him, but tons of pictures scattered around the house and on the walls portrayed Emily's childhood that she shared with her older brother. Emily had mentioned once that he had two small children.

Sam coddled the small child as Emily reentered the room, a male version of herself following close behind with a bag slung over one shoulder and a bundle in his arms. Ethan was much taller than his sister, but the likeness in their facial features was uncanny. They could have passed for twins.

Emily motioned to her brother as she addressed the room. "Guys, this is my older brother, Ethan. Ethan, these are some of our friends. Quil, Paul, Jared, Embry, and Nori." She pointed to each person respectively as she introduced them.

The guys nodded to Ethan and I offered a wave and smile. I was never good with new people or introductions. My inner awkward butterfly came out.

"And you remember my fiancée, Sam."

Sam shoved Paul to the side and passed the boys to reach Ethan as he held his hand out. They shook hands as Ethan smiled - a full smile that I was sure would have been identical to Emily's had her face not been scarred.

"Well if I don't, Claire certainly does," the older Young joked, causing us all to chuckle and the little girl in Sam's arms to pat Sam on the head and giggle. Her long, black hair had been pulled back in a high ponytail with a pink ribbon that was tied into a bow and matched her pink cotton top and pink capri pants. It was obvious that the child loved pink, and I was sure that with her outgoing personality and adorable dimpled grin, she'd have every one of the pack members wrapped around her finger.

Ethan handed over the bag on his shoulder to Emily, who slung it over her own and held her arms out for the bundle. She trapped the baby against her chest affectionately.

"We'll be back sometime late Sunday," Ethan said to his sister. "I'll call you if anything changes."

Emily hugged her brother with one arm and grasped his elbow as she leaned back. "You guys just be careful, okay? It's always dangerous up in those mountains."

I noticed how the boys all shuffled uncomfortably as they read the hidden meaning behind Emily's words. The mountains were a prime target for vampires. Hikers, galore.

I bit my lip and said a silent prayer for Ethan and his wife as he promised Emily they'd be safe. They'd apparently been avid hikers before the kids came along.

Sam clasped Ethan on the shoulder as Claire leaned forward to peck her father on the cheek and say goodbye. She didn't seem to upset with her father leaving. She was still hanging onto Sam and playing with his cropped hair like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.

Ethan kissed the head of the baby in Emily's arms before waving to the rest of us. The boys called out "goodbye"'s and "later bro"'s as I waved again, and with that, Ethan left.

Once the front door closed, the baby in Emily's arms began fussing. She excused herself and headed for the guest room while calling out over her shoulder that lunch was ready whenever we were.

The boys didn't have to be told twice.

They dug into the food while Sam came to stand by me. Claire leaned down and picked up a strand of my hair, letting it slide over her fingers and fall gently back down to the shoulder.

"Pwetty," she whispered before flashing me an award-winning smile. Her dimples were like tiny craters in her pudgy cheeks and only added to her level of adorableness.

"Claire, this is Nori. Can you say Nori?" Sam cooed, his massive hands carefully grasping the child in his arms as he bounced her lightly.

Claire nodded and looked at him. "Nawry!" She turned quickly and pointed a chunky finger at me with another dimpled grin. "Nawry!"

We laughed as I nodded at the little girl and held up my hand. "Hey, good job! High five," I said in a higher pitched voice - the kind all people used when talking to babies and dogs.

Claire smacked my hand wildly with hers and giggled.

Collin came bounding through the backdoor, out of breath. "Sam!"

Every boy froze as their heads snapped to Collin. He didn't seem to notice.

Sam straightened, his smile falling as the stoic look returned.

"Seth and J-Jacob," the boy stuttered. "They're r-ripping each others' heads off."

My stomach dropped as Sam immediately shoved little Claire into my arms with a quiet, "Everyone stay here," before he bounded after Collin.

It was silent for a moment as the door swung shut. I had a feeling that we were all thinking along the same lines. Seth was the happiest kid we'd ever known. Jacob was always in control of his anger. The fact that they were fighting only meant that something _huge_ was going on.

I was almost scared to know what they were fighting about. I had a sneaking suspicion that it had something to do with me, and for that, I felt even sicker.

Everyone glanced at me before returning to gathering their food.

Claire pulled at the ends of my hair and giggled in my ear. I smiled at her, but I couldn't help but wonder how easy her life must have been compared to the shit I was having to deal with.

Even at that age, I was living with my father while my mother abandoned me and took Bella to California.

I nuzzled her cheek and bounced her lightly against my hip.

"Hey, Nor. Take a load off."

Quil had kicked out the chair next to him as he wolfed down the stack of sandwiches on his plate. I took a seat, cuddling the toddler in my arms closer as Embry placed a sandwich in front of me. I shot my boyfriend a smile, and while he sent one back, it didn't reach his eyes. I was sure mine hadn't reached my own either.

My stomach twisted as thoughts of Seth or Jacob coming back injured filled my head.

Embry wrapped an arm around my shoulders, but pulled back when Claire bit his dark skin. Both Paul and I burst into laughter at the incredulous look on my boyfriend's face and the cheeky grin on the little girl's.

"Damn, boy. That kid is savage."

Jared smacked the back of Paul's head as the rest of us shot him looks. "Emily will kill you if you teach her niece how to curse," Jared said, rolling his eyes.

Paul grumbled under his breath as Embry took my hand in my lap and dug back into his food. I couldn't help but silently laugh at him.

"Hey Nori, can you pass the—"

I looked up to see Quil staring just to the left of my eyes with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. Claire was standing in my lap and suspiciously still.

One glance at the toddler in my arms and I knew.

"Quil, what the fuck!" I screeched before I could catch myself.

The boys were still eating and conversing around the table, but at my outburst, Paul grumbled, "Didn't we just go over this?" regarding my language use. I didn't say a word. Quil was beginning to shake and the toddler in my arms was starting to cry and I was two seconds away from scooping up the baby and making a run for it. Embry caught on quickly, because he whispered, "Holy hell," as they all froze. Someone dropped a spoon into their soup bowl as the clattering made the only sound before all hell broke loose.

"You sick bastard!" Jared exclaimed as he and Embry jumped from their seats. Embry grasped my shoulders and pulled me to my feet and behind him slightly, putting the toddler out of Quil's sight. With Claire no longer in his view, Quil snapped back to reality.

"It's not like that!" he defended, holding his hands up as he leaned to the side in an attempt to see Claire. Embry's hand came back to rest on my hip and push me farther behind him. "It's not like that at all!"

Embry was shivering lightly and I rested my mouth against his bare upper arm, pressing a kiss there to calm him since I had no free hands. I was trying to hold a wildly squirming child to my chest. She was screaming like crazy while tears streamed down her face, and with every sound from her, Quil's eyes grew wilder and his shaking doubled.

"Embry, get out of the _way_ ," he begged, his voice nearly whining amidst his growls. "She _needs_ me!"

Embry's arm left me as he shoved Quil back. Jared rounded the table and grabbed ahold of Quil's shoulders to keep him from leaping towards us.

Paul was chortling at the table around bites of sandwich, enjoying his dinner and the whole damn show.

Quil was pleading and Jared and Embry were exchanging glances, as if asking each other what in the hell they were supposed to do in this situation. I had no advice for them. I was just as clueless as they were.

" _Qwil!"_ a voice cried desperately, and the room froze again. My eyes shot down to the child in my arms just as Quil slung Jared across the room and lunged at Embry, his eyes dangerously furious. Quil's imprint needed him, and nothing was standing in his way.

Just as Quil's hands reached for Embry's neck and my boyfriend threw his hands up in defense, a deep voice yelled Quil's name.

Quil's hands dropped as his chest heaved. Sam was standing in the doorway, drenched from the rain and a calculating look in his dark eyes. Seeing him, I immediately wanted to ask if Jacob and Seth were okay, but now was not the time. I was still too frozen in place behind a shivering Embry.

Sam glanced around the room, took in the chaos and Paul's laughter that still fell from his lips even as he tried to smother it, before his eyes found the crying child in my arms and his brows furrowed in anger.

" _What_ is going on here?" he demanded.

Emily appeared in the doorway, shock written all over her face. "Why is everyone screaming? I just got Caleb down for . . . a . . . ." She trailed off as she took in the scene before her. The only sound was of Claire's sniffles and Paul's choking chuckles.

I heard the words leave my mouth in a whisper before I could even register them. "He imprinted on her." My eyes were boring into Quil's as his frantically searched for Claire's. She peeked her head around the side of Embry and underneath my chin.

"Qwil!" Her chunky arms reached out for him, but I held her closer to me. Quil whimpered, but his shoulders sagged in relief at the sight of his tiny imprint.

I wondered what was going on in his mind. How sick was this? She was barely two years old, and he was a teenager. What kind of relationship would this be? I felt like throwing up.

What did this mean for Claire's future? Was she forever tied to the supernatural?

Emily gasped and Sam cursed.

Paul couldn't contain himself any longer. " _Man_ , this shit is better than Jerry Springer."


	37. II: Eleven

**Hey, guys! I apologize for the wait. It has been a hectic past few weeks, but I've FINALLY found the chance to sit down and spit out another chapter! This isn't my best work, but it does have a little cuteness and insight on Nori's relationships between both guys.**

 **I want to thank you all for reviewing and being so kind and understanding. I have bragged about my wonderful reviewers and I just want you all to know that I love you very much! Please continue to review and share your thoughts and ideas. They give me inspiration and motivation!**

 **Also, please pay attention to Embry's behavior in the beginning of the chapter. While Nori shrugs it off, it is something that is important to remember as the story continues.**

 **And now, because I know you all have been dying in suspense (lol), on to the chapter c:**

* * *

The doorbell rang at six sharp, and I had to hold back from skipping down the stairs and through the kitchen. I had been freaking out for the past two hours as the clocked counted down to this moment.

It was mine and Embry's first official date, and I was ecstatic.

He had called earlier that afternoon to ask me out to dinner in Port Angeles. I'd said yes, of course.

I yanked the door open to see Embry standing on the other side, completely dressed up compared to normal. He was wearing khakis - something I didn't even know he owned - and a navy button down tucked into the pants. A leather belt was around his waist, the same shade of brown as the shoes on his feet. His hair was styled with mousse and he held a bouquet of roses.

I bit my lip to keep from grimacing at the sight. Something about Embry all dressed up like this was unnerving. It wasn't normal.

He eyed my simple skinny jeans and cardigan.

"Is that really what you're wearing?" he asked blatantly, causing my breath to catch in my throat. I'd spent an hour trying to find the cutest outfit, considering it was my first _real_ date. The fact that he so obviously found problems with it only made me feel awkward.

I shrugged. "Um, I can, uh, go change?"

I had no idea how to react. He was still staring at my Vans in distaste, but I couldn't say anything. My brain seemed to have shut down, unable to save myself from this awkward encounter.

"You probably should," he said, shrugging in return and glancing down at his hand. "Oh, these are for you, babe."

He handed me the flowers and I refrained from throwing them back in his face. How could he call me something sweet after practically saying I didn't look good enough to go out with him? What was _wrong_ with him? We had never had a situation like this during our friendship, but then again, we'd never gone on an actual date.

I took the flowers and headed upstairs without another word. Tossing the roses onto my desk, I grabbed a nice dress from the closet. I had never been a dress person, so the only formal attire I owned was a cream dress my mother had sent at some point over the past year. She had thought I would need it at boarding school for my many performances and recitals. I'd never gotten the chance to actually wear it.

I pulled the lace-covered garment over my head and ran my fingers through my hair. The sleeves were capped while the neckline scooped just below my collarbone. It fit tightly - much more so than I felt comfortable with - and fell just above my knee. It showed off each curve I had and I was certain my father would skin me alive for wearing something so flaunting.

I was just thankful that he was at Billy's and the dress wasn't see through. The lace was only a layer over a thick, cream material that was soft against my skin. I slipped on a pair of nude heels and pinned my hair back from my face before standing in front of the full length mirror on the back of my door.

I looked older.

The dress made me look like a young lady, instead of a tomboy teenager. I felt grown up, and it gave me the courage to head back down the stairs and face Embry for a second time.

He grinned as I came into sight and kissed my cheek. "Much better," he said softly before taking my hand in his. "Are you ready to go?"

I nodded. If he thought I was beautiful now, then I'd just have to invest in more dresses. I could see where he was coming from; I _did_ look pretty amazing in the dress.

I couldn't shake the feeling out of my head that this was wrong , though.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

The drive to Port Angeles was filled with Embry and I singing along to the radio and talking about Quil's situation with little Claire as if nothing had happened in my kitchen. I learned that after phasing to show Sam exactly what he thought of the toddler, Sam warily gave the okay for Quil to even be around Claire. My crude best friend was such a softy now anytime the little girl was around. He was the big brother she never had.

I was happy for him. At least his imprint situation seemed to be working itself out.

Embry parallel-parked the truck along the curb downtown, in the heart of the nicest restaurants on this side of the Hood Canal. White lights decorated the sidewalks and the sound of music and people chatting filled the brisk, night air. Women made their way down the sidewalk by their dates' sides dressed in dangling earrings and dressy attire. I would have surely stood out in anything but a dress.

I suddenly felt the need to thank Embry for making me change.

Embry held my door open and gently helped me down from the truck before leading me towards a restaurant situated on the corner. An iron fence surrounded a patio that ran the length of the building down the main stretch, and couples filled the small two-person tables while a man stood at one end, dressed in a suit and playing the violin.

I had driven through this part of downtown after dark before, but never really took in the sights and sounds. It was like an entirely different world, and I wasn't sure if I liked it or not.

The maitre'd led us through the dimly lit interior of the restaurant to a table right in the middle of a packed portion of the restaurant. A candle in the center was already lit and a white tablecloth covered the round table, making the entire setup even fancier.

I bit my lip as I took in the number of people surrounding us. My anxiety levels were already rising.

"Your waiter will be right with you," the nicely dressed man spoke sharply before prancing back to his booth up front. I fidgeted in my set as my eyes danced around the room.

"You okay?"

I glanced at Embry, who was looking at me with a worried expression. He reached across the table and took my hand in his, caressing the back of my knuckles with his thumb.

I shrugged. "Anxiety," I whispered, knowing he'd understand with his wolf hearing and the fact that he'd known me nearly my entire life.

Embry glanced around the room before a grimace set across his face. "Damn, I'm sorry, Nor," he said, frowning. "We could leave?"

I shook my head quickly. He'd gone through so much work to put together a perfect first date. I wasn't about to mess it up all because of some stupid mental imbalance.

"It's fine," I assured him with a smile before letting his hand go to pick up the burgundy menu in front of me. "So how many entrees are you getting?"

-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Dinner went by smoothly, and Embry ended up with four entrees to soothe his outrageous appetite. I was nearly positive that the waiter had caught on to Embry's inhuman ways just by the look he'd shoot Embry each time he passed our table.

Needless to say, he was given a generous tip.

Embry held my hand tightly in his as we drove across town to the local high school auditorium, where a classical pianist was putting on a performance. I could feel the excitement for my first concert building in my stomach alongside the pressure of the Italian cuisine I'd just wolfed down.

The parking lot was packed with cars and people dressed just as nicely as they had been downtown. I felt confident in my dress with such a handsome boyfriend by my side, and as if he could sense my sudden shift in air, Embry wound an arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head.

"Did I mention that these were front row seats?" he asked cheekily, his brown and green eyes shining down at me.

In the light of the moon, Embry was truly perfection. His chiseled jaw line and dimpled cheeks could make any girl swoon, and the russet complexion of his Native skin only made me jealous of his beauty. I couldn't tan without turning into a tomato, and as a child, I'd wished I was Native American alongside my friends.

I couldn't understand what this boy saw in me, but I was thankful he thought I was worth the fight.

My heart swelled as I grinned up at the boy I loved more than anyone and anything else, save for my father and cheesecake.

"Did I mention that you're the best boyfriend ever?"

Embry chuckled as I leaned into him. The anxiety I had felt in the restaurant and the annoyance with his demands that I changed clothes were all gone now that everything was so wonderful. Being with Embry made me the happiest I had ever been.

Good things never seemed to last, though. I couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was just around the corner.

As if sensing the direction of my trail of thoughts, Embry kissed the top of my head before releasing me to open the door and usher me in ahead of him. His warm hand found a place at the small of my back as he led me through the line, handed off our tickets to the young girl standing behind a booth by the door, and guided me to our front row seats.

The theater was dark, save for the bright lights aimed at the stage. A single grand piano was situated dead center, shining in all its black wood and ivory glory. My fingers tingled at the thought of playing such a pristine instrument.

"How did you even find out about this?" I murmured in awe as we took our seats.

Embry gently grabbed my hand and shrugged, but I couldn't miss the blush forming on his dark cheeks.

"I, uh, saw an ad online months ago." Avoiding my gaze, he tapped his fingers against his far knee. "I bought the tickets and hoped I'd have he courage to ask you out by the time the concert came along," he admitted shyly.

I couldn't help but smile as a blush crept up my neck. Hearing him admit that he'd liked me long before we'd ever made any declarations only added to the butterflies that seemed to constantly be swarming in my belly around him. He brought out the extreme nervousness in me. The rush of anxiety for a _good_ thing was a strange feeling, and I wasn't quite sure whether I liked it or not.

The lights dimmed and a greeter graced the stage to introduce the pianist. I leaned back, excitement coursing through my bloodstream, and squeezed Embry's hand with a grin.

I couldn't shake the feeling of butterflies throughout the concert. By the time Embry and I had made it back to Forks late in the night, I was nauseous.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Something about the ocean always seemed to calm my nerves, even in my worst moments.

The cool breeze washed over my face as the waves crashed against the shore, and for the millionth time in my life, I breathed in the salty air and let my muscles relax. I didn't care that my hair was whipping around my face, knotting itself in the sea air, or that my dress would be sandy when I stood up again. I needed these few minutes to clear my head.

It had been half an hour since Embry had dropped me off, and instead of heading inside like he assumed I would, I'd waited on the porch until he drove off just so that I could hop into my car and trail several car lengths behind him. He veered off to go home. I made my way straight to the beach.

Dad was used to my late night adventures, and with a quick phone call to let him know of my whereabouts, he'd made me promise to be safe and swore to leave the front door unlocked for me when I returned. I'd thanked him, and while I knew he didn't understand, the fact that he trusted me so much meant more than anything. This sense of freedom was what I needed to keep from going insane in the already psychotic world surrounding me.

I pulled the sleeves of my sweatshirt down over my hands to block out some of the chill from the wind. The backseat of my car had accumulated several random items over the course of the past month, including a sweatshirt and a pair of cloth shorts that I couldn't for the life of me remember how either had gotten there.

The sweatshirt was greatly needed at a time like this, though.

Grains of sand and pieces of rock dug into the skin of my bare legs from where they were bent to my side, but I was too tired to care. It was a feeling I'd felt a lot of, lately. Exhaustion. Pure, unexplainable exhaustion.

The butterflies that had calmed since coming home from my date were only another addition to the swarming emotions and sensations on the inside. I could still feel the effects and the lingering nausea as I thought of it.

But Embry's grin and the toe-curling goodnight kiss in the cab of his truck had been enough to swallow the discomfort and enjoy the moment. He had been so unbelievably sweet after the rocky start. Our date had ended on a good note, despite my turmoiltous stomach.

I picked up a small, smooth stone and tossed it into the crashing waves. It was moments like these when I wished for a calm, glassy pond where I could skip rocks like they did in the movies. I didn't have those luxuries here.

The constant twinge in my chest that I had become accustomed to lightened, making it easier to breathe. I bit my lip as the brief sound of sand crunching could be heard behind me. I knew who it was without even turning around. My body had already reacted before my mind was aware.

A tall figure loomed over me, but I refused to look up. My eyes stayed trained on the darkened horizon, catching the whitecaps that were far off shore and the occasional flying fish that appeared from the black water every few now and then.

"Do you know what time it is?"

His voice was strained, as if trying to keep in control, and I could feel his stress rolling off of him in waves without even seeing his face. I didn't have the energy to argue with him. I knew the imprint only made him worry about my safety, and with the thoughts and emotions running through my head, I had too much on my plate to deal with his bullshit at the moment.

"You're going to freeze to death, you know."

As if that was going to make me go home. I huffed out a laugh and shrugged, tossing another stone into the dark surf.

I half expected Jacob to leave me there in anger. I wouldn't blame him. I was being a moody bitch, so when he plopped down next to me wearing only a pair of cutoffs to prove that he'd been patrolling, I nearly stared at him wide-eyed.

He took a deep breath in and flicked his wrist out, releasing a smooth stone of his own. I watched in awe as the object skimmed across the surf, skipping three times before hitting the incoming tide and disappearing under the water.

"It's one in the morning and you're sitting on the beach alone," Jacob stated, his voice dark even if his body wasn't shaking. "What happened?"

I shrugged again and began sifting sand through my fingers just to have something to focus on other than the boy next to me who always sent a warm feeling through my bones.

Jacob was silent for a moment, as if contemplating his next approach, before he ran a hand through his dark hair and sighed.

"Did Embry do something to you?"

I blanched, whipping around to face him. "What the hell would make you say that?" I demanded before I could bite my tongue.

Jacob grimaced and leaned back on his hands, letting his long legs stretch out in front of him as the surf touched the heels of his feet. "I know about your date. Embry just relieved me from patrol."

I returned my attention to the water as I played with the sand underneath my fingertips. "Then you should know that the date was amazing," I said confidently, but I couldn't hide the flinch that came from the sharp pain in my chest at my words.

Jacob didn't seem to notice. He was scowling at the horizon, his hands clenching the ground behind him as his muscles flexed. He was silent, and I was too afraid of hurting him with any more words from my mouth.

Glancing at him again from the corner of my eye, I reflected on our friendship. It was like walking on eggshells. We were so comfortable around each other, yet we were so cautious and on edge. We had no idea what to expect from the other, and it drove us both crazy. This imprint had hit at the worst time possible; it had screwed up both of our lives and the lives of those who we wanted to have so desperately. I hated it.

But I couldn't hate it, really. It was impossible to hate something that gave me a friend whom I never felt awkward or uncomfortable around.

I nudged Jacob's shoulder with mine and shot him a crooked ghost of a smile. "I heard you spent the day with my sister," I said, remembering that Bella had come to the reservation after school. Dad had mentioned it briefly on the phone as I had driven to the beach.

Jacob's lips twitched upwards slightly. "Yeah, she ditched school and everything."

A laugh softly left my lips. "I knew she had a little rebel Swan blood in her," I murmured jokingly.

"I have to admit, you Swan girls are pretty badass sometimes." Jacob's eyes twinkled as his lips turned up a little more, making his smile more pronounced.

The lighthearted joking between us calmed me to the very core, and even though our conversation seemed to be centered around my sister, I couldn't find it within me to care. Jacob loved her. I didn't want him in the same way that she should have had him. I just wanted his friendship, and I was learning that seeing him so happy over Bella only made me happy.

I ignored the twinge in my chest that spoke differently.

"I told her about Quil and Claire," he said, his voice turning soft as the smile slid from his face. "She didn't take it too well."

I shrugged and brought my hands back to my lap to play with another stone. It was covered in barnacles and strange colors, so I inspected it as I twisted it with my fingertips.

"I mean, you can't blame her. It's pretty weird to imagine unless you've seen them together."

Quil and Claire were absolutely adorable. It melted my heart to see my oversized, crude friend turn into a giant teddy bear anytime the little, chubby-faced girl entered the room.

Jacob must have shared my trail of thoughts, because he suddenly grinned. "Quil's a damn teddy bear, now. I never would have guessed it was possible."

"I'm starting to learn that everything impossible is becoming possible." I bit my lip as soon as the words had been breathed, knowing they didn't make half as much sense as they had in my own head. So much and happened that should have been impossible. From the wolves, to the vampires, Jacob's imprinting on _me_ , and allowing myself to even allow another boy to kiss me after all that had happened only a few years before — parallel universe me would have been laughing at my luck.

Jacob didn't question my cryptic words. He simply sat in silence for a moment before his deep voice joined the light breeze again.

"I think that's the best part of life. Watching something impossible happen — it makes you change your perspective a little."

I turned to look at the massive boy only to find him staring back at me. With the moonlight reflecting off of his black eyes, I half expected the feeling of butterflies to fill my stomach as they had with Embry.

Instead, a comforting warmth spread through my limbs, leaving me relaxed and at ease.

"Has your perspective changed?" I whispered, wondering if he was thinking what I was thinking. While his words were general, I couldn't help but wonder if he was referring specifically to Quil and Claire or if his point was more directed towards a topic closer to our interest — our own imprint.

Jacob's eyes stared into mine for a long, pregnant pause before he blinked and allowed his lips to turn up sideways in a sad, apologetic expression.

"I'm still figuring that out."


	38. II: Twelve

**While this isn't as long as I was hoping for, it's still an update! Thank you guys for being so patient and kind in your reviews. Please continue to give feedback on these chapters! Encouragement, thoughts, and ideas help me find inspiration.**

 **Happy Memorial Day, everyone. Be safe! The beaches near where I live have already had several deaths from rip currents and boating accidents this weekend. It's so cray, guys.**

 **And now, on to the chapter!**

* * *

"You're such a weirdo."

A laugh escaped my lips as I watched my father tap his hands against the glass freezer door and bob his head along in beat with the overhead radio. We were alone on the end aisle of the grocery store, which gave us the freedom to joke around and act silly as we filled our buggy with various items to get us through the week.

"You know, I used to be a drummer," he replied as he opened the freezer and grabbed a quart of ice cream before tossing it into the buggy and walking ahead of me to browse the milk selection.

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, playing Band Hero three times doesn't make you a drummer."

My father chuckled at me as he picked up a carton and sat it in the open child's seat of the buggy. I leaned against the handlebar on my crossed forearms and pushed the buggy along, wincing as the metal contraption jerked from a broken piece on the back wheel.

"What kind of cheese do we usually get?" he asked as he ran his hand over his mustache and stared the display down, searching for a familiar package.

I pointed to the blue and yellow squares. "Kraft. Grab two of them."

He did as I asked before we headed for the soda aisle. On the way, Dad nodded to several people who acknowledged him. It was a part of being a police chief in such a small town; everyone knew him and everyone liked him.

A woman whom I knew was recently divorced with two small children gave an attractive smile directed straight towards my father.

I smiled as I watched my father fix his ball cap nervously and scrunch his upper lip, twitching his mustache. He'd always been an awkward soul around those whom he wasn't overly close to, meaning he really only had the boys, myself, and Billy now that Harry had passed on. My heart ached as I considered just how lonely my father possibly was, especially considering how he hadn't even been on a date since Mom had left — as far as I knew. He had once told me that he'd chosen to focus on raising me instead of chasing skirts.

While I knew that if he had wanted to date, he would have, I couldn't help but feel as if I had taken the option away.

I bit my lip in thought as I snatched two two-liters of Pepsi off of the shelf and added them to the already overflowing buggy. With friends like mine around, we had to keep the house overstocked with food on the off chance that one of them visited. Dad just assumed they were all "growing boys," as Billy had once claimed.

"I saw the way Ms. Roberts was grinning at you," I said, breaking the silence between us as I shot him a coy smile.

He rolled his eyes, but the blush forming on his stubble-coated cheeks only proved that he was related to me and easily embarrassed. Tossing three family-sized bags of chips into the buggy, he took hold of the handle and began pushing the cart away from me as he grumbled, "You're out of your damn mind."

I snorted and rushed to catch up with him.

"You should go talk to her," I told him, adding cheery nonchalantness to my voice, which only made it higher and more obvious that I was up to something. I bit my lip and plastered an innocent, wide-eyed look on my face as he glanced at me and added more items off of the shelf to the cart.

"You should stick with your own love life and stay out of mine." His mustache quirked up at one corner, showing off the crooked smile that proved he was only kidding with me, even if his voice was gruff.

I sighed and grabbed ahold of the buggy handle, pulling it to a stop and preventing my father from continuing down the canned soup isle. He straightened from where he had been leaning against the bar and stared down at me in confusion.

Taking a deep breath, I let the words fall from my mouth quickly before I lost my nerve. My father and I rarely ever had heart to hearts, and having one in the grocery store was definitely a "when pigs fly" kind of situation.

"Look, I know you think you have some sort of obligation to raise us first before you even consider focusing on your own life, but Bella is about to graduate and I spend more time on the rez than at home anyway and I really think you should try dating before you're too old to even care about it anymore. You're a freaking awesome dad and an even more awesome person and any woman would be _so_ lucky to have you and I just - I - I don't want you to throw away all of your chances before you even take them and, I don't know, I-"

He held his hands up in surrender as he pressed his lips together and sighed heavily. I stopped speaking and grimaced as I realized I'd barely made any sense with the scattered thoughts that I'd spewed.

"Nori, you worry too much." I averted his eyes and shifted his weight from one foot to the other — another nervous trait I'd inherited. "The reason I've never dated anyone has nothing to do with you. I, uh, I just never found anyone that I, er, well-" He shrugged. "You know. . ."

I nodded, feeling the tension smothering us. Noticing a handful of long sticks of beef jerky hanging off of the shelf behind my father, I smirked and reached around him to grab two before handing them over.

He quirked a brow. "What the hell are these for?" We'd never been a jerky kind of family.

My smirk grew as I nodded towards the jerky sticks and patted the handle of the cart.

"You said you had drumming skills. Prove it, old man."

He snorted and I couldn't help but imagine a woman trying to put up with my father banging beef jerky sticks along with a U2 song in the middle of a grocery store. Dad shot a grin at me in triumph, his eyes crinkling around the corners and his mustache quirking upwards towards his nose.

Whoever won him over would be one lucky lady.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

We pulled into the driveway to find a small, tan car parked in Dad's usual spot. He grumbled about not expecting company and parked in the yard.

I noticed someone sitting on the front porch and immediately recognized the person.

"Kim!"

I smiled widely at my friend and speed walked across the yard, fully intent on fussing at her for disappearing for over a week. I'd worried to death over her wellbeing, even though I knew that with Jared hovering over her shoulder, nothing worse than an anxiety attack could happen to her.

Kim tried to return my smile, but failed horribly. Her eyes were red and swollen, as if she'd been crying for a long period of time, and her skin was pale and sticking to her cheekbones. She looked sick, and I wondered if this was the reason she'd been MIA.

"C-Can we, um, talk?" she murmured softly, her voice cracking with the effort. She cleared her throat and averted her eyes.

My stomach sank.

Keeping my eyes on her, I called over my shoulder to let Dad know we were going for a walk. He must have heard the tone of my voice, because he didn't even bother asking me to bring the groceries in first. With a call to be careful, we headed off in the direction of the street.

I wasn't a fan of walking in the woods alone, knowing there were creatures running around threatening to harm us, so we stuck with walking around the neighborhood in the public eye. Kim was a few inches shorter than my tall frame, and I had a perfect view of her holding her sweater sleeves up to pick at the frayed edges as we walked in time with her flicking flip flops against the pavement.

Something was up and I had no idea what to think.

We'd made it to the corner by the time she finally spoke. Her voice was soft, nearly as fragile as she looked, and I had to strain to hear her against the sound of her flip flops and the chirping birds overhead.

"I started feeling really weird a few months ago," she admitted, picking at her sweater edges. I couldn't help but wonder who in the hell wore sweaters in the middle of the day at the beginning of June. It was hotter than Hades outside and it was just past three.

"Mama noticed I was losing weight and sleeping more. I just assumed it was because this semester had been so stressful, what with Jared noticing me and learning about the wolves . . ." She shrugged and dropped her hands to her sides, letting them swing as we turned to head down the street a block over from my house. "We really didn't worry until the nosebleeds began."

I blanched, but she didn't look up to see my expression. I began picking my fingers as anxiety filled my gut and fear for the answer to my inner questions plagued my mind. My mouth stayed shut, giving Kim ample opportunity to speak without interruptions.

She offered a half-hearted laugh filled with sadness. "Jared freaked when it happened at his house. I was gushing blood out of my face and he was crying and calling nine-one-one." She sighed and wiped her cheek, and only then did I realize there were tears on her face. "I guess it's a blessing that he did. Dr. Cullen recognized the smell of my blood was different than any of his usual patients."

Kim sniffed and I automatically wrapped an arm around her shoulders, offering what comfort I could. The fact that Jared had even allowed Kim to be in the same room as one of the Cullens showed that this was a dire situation. He'd been scared shitless, and to be honest, I was, too — and I didn't even know what I was scared of, yet.

It was the four words that tumbled out of her throat in the next second that caused my heart to stop beating and my knees to nearly crumbled beneath me. Four words, and the entire future change.

Suddenly, none of my problems seemed to matter anymore. My love life, my imprint, my sister, my life in the supernatural world. It was nothing compared to the fear that I felt at hearing my newfound friend's diagnosis.

Because while I had issues that affected me, I was more than likely going to survive it all.

But Kim — well, she wasn't as certain.

Her voice was as broken as glass as she whispered the words before she broke into tears, and I held her tightly as we collapsed onto the curb and just sat underneath the burning June sun and drowned under the weight of reality.

 _"Nori, I have cancer_."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

I had avoided Forks High School like the plague since I left the institution, but thanks to new state regulations, I was forced to find a teacher to proctor online finals. I'd been lucky enough to recruit Mr. Molena, the Biology teacher who was familiar with my sister and understood my predicament.

The day after Kim told me about her cancer diagnosis, I found myself standing in front of the main doors of the one place in the world that held the worst memories I had as I summoned the courage to walk inside. I kept reminding myself that, if Kim could handle hearing the words that tore her world apart and be willing to keep pushing on, I could find the will to get this over with without falling apart or dying from a panic attack.

With a deep breath, I nodded to myself and pulled the heavy double-door open, immersing myself in the loud chatter of high school adolescents intent on finishing their exams and enjoying their summer in the next week. I kept my head down and made my way through the sea of students towards the science classroom on the back hallway. If I only didn't make eye contact with anyone, maybe I'd survive without running into the _one_ person I dreaded seeing the most.

I should've known my luck was shit.

My shoulder brushed against another, knocking me sideways slightly just as two hands took my shoulders in an iron grip. I flinched and jerked my head up to find two beady blue eyes staring down at me from underneath long blonde lashes. He'd cut his swoopy hair since the last time we'd run into each other; it was now cropped close to his head, but gelled up in spikes above his forehead. He was grinning, but his eyes were malicious. He was enjoying this far too much.

I wanted to cry.

"Well, well, well. Nori Swan. How's it hangin'?" he taunted, his hands dropping from my shoulders as he took a step towards me. Stepping back, I found that I was trapped against the lockers. Even with two hundred other students surrounding us, I felt alone. Nobody was paying attention. Nobody noticed how dangerous of a situation I had gotten myself into again.

God, _why_ did I come back to this godawful place?

Forcing my mouth open, I did my best to spit, "It won't be _hangin'_ for long if you don't leave me the fuck alone, Newton." I managed to growl his surname, and with every ounce of anger and hatred I had within me, I glared him down with a look that could kill practically anyone else I looked at.

I couldn't kill the devil, though, and that was precisely who was standing in front of me with a smirk breaking across his tanned face.

"Oh, touchy," he mocked with a snort. "Like always." I could hear the insinuation behind his words, and a chill made its way down my spine.

"Don't you have better things to do?," I snapped, earning another chuckle from the jerk face before me.

"Well, I've already done _you_ , so . . ." he trailed off, cocking a brow coyly as one hand reached out to brush up my arm.

I wanted to puke. I wanted to scream at him that he'd never made it that far — that I'd managed to get away before he could ruin me any further — but my throat had constricted as my heart hammered in my chest.

But the bell rang and people began making their way to their respective classes. I panicked as I realized we would be completely alone if I didn't find a way out of this situation.

I opened my mouth to tell him to get out of my way, when a pale hand clamped down on Mike's shoulder. Following the sleeve-clad arm with my eyes, I found myself staring at the peeved face of Edward Cullen.

"I believe the bell has rung," he informed us calmly, though his dark golden eyes bore into the blonde boy's with an intensity that made my stomach churn. "This conversation is over."

From that statement, I knew that he had overheard at least what I'd been thinking, if not the actual conversation. I silently chanted thank you's in my head, hoping he'd hear them and realize just how truly thankful I was that a mind-reading vampire existed in this moment and attended this school.

"Cullen, mind your own-"

"I will not repeat myself, Mike," he snapped, causing me to flinch at the stern tone.

He released Mike's shoulder, leaving the boy to glance warily back at the taller, pale boy before shooting me a wink and stating, "I'll see _you_ later, Swan," before he swaggered down the hallway.

I leaned against the locker and let out the breath I'd been holding. I could feel my insides snapping as the weight of all of my emotions over the past few months began pressing against my chest. I was dangerously close to my breaking point.

Edward read my turmoilous thoughts and glanced towards where Mike had disappeared with unadulterated hatred on his face. It was terrifying to witness.

"I could kill him, you know."

I immediately shook my head, even though my mind agreed one hundred percent with his offer.

"He's not worth the effort." My voice was still gruff, though now it was because tears were pressing at the surface. I cleared my throat and stood straight as my eyes flickered up to Edward's shocking gold. "You kind of just saved my life, Cullen."

He offered a crooked smile, though his eyes remained sad. "Ironic for a vampire, don't you agree?"

I snorted as he walked by my side, escorting me to Mr. Molena's classroom with a parting promise that he'd keep an eye on my mind as long as I was on campus.

I couldn't have been more thankful to be in the presence of a vampire.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Embry was waiting by my car as I pushed the heavy doors of Forks High's main building out of my way and walked out into the rare sunshine. His muscular arms were crossed across his chest and he was leaning against the passenger door with a grimace set on his face. After the voicemail I'd left between exams in the bathroom, I wasn't surprised.

Running into Mike had put me on edge for the duration of the day. Even as I sat through the four short finals Mr. Molena had agreed to proctor, my brain had been elsewhere. Mike could still be in the hallway, waiting for me to leave again. Edward couldn't be there every time to protect me, and I wasn't sure if I even wanted a vampire to be my rescuer. My hands had shakily clicked through the online tests at rampant speed and I was sure Mr. Molena thought I was terrified of failing by my nervous actions.

The fear had escalated to pure panic by the time I'd finished my first two exams in the first hour, leaving me gasping for breath and on the verge of tears. As Mr. Molena left for a bathroom break, I made a quick phone call to Embry. He was scheduled to patrol all morning, but I had hope that he'd be off by the time my tests were over. Of all the people I knew, he was only one who would completely understand my reaction. He was the only one who ever knew the truth. It took every ounce of courage in my chest to keep from bursting into tears on the phone as I begged him to come to the school and wait for me.

As soon as I saw his face and realized I was safe again, however, the tears couldn't be stopped.

Embry crossed the space between us and wrapped me in his strong arms, keeping me from falling as my knees collapsed. I squeezed his midsection and sobbed silently into his chest, not caring that we were in the middle of the high school parking lot or that we could be seen by somebody. I could finally breathe again knowing that I was completely safe.

"Let's get out of here," Embry murmured into my hair before kissing the top of my head. I nodded and sniffed, wiping my eyes as I leaned back and allowed him to lead me to my car. I didn't want to be here for one more second.

Embry climbed in behind the driver's seat and I didn't complain. I wasn't in the right frame of mind to argue or attempt to drive, anyway. I took his hand in mine and held it tightly in my lap as he pulled out of the parking lot at breakneck speed and took off towards my house.

"Did you see him?"

Embry's voice was low, as if he were afraid I would scare easily. I couldn't blame him. I looked like a rough, psychotic mess. The fact that he was even willing to be in my presence only proved to me that he cared just as deeply as I cared about him. It was reassuring.

I nodded and wiped underneath my eyes again in an attempt to remove any evidence of my tears. "He was there when I walked into the building." I grimaced at the sound of my cracking voice and cleared my throat. "He said a bunch of shit and everything kind of . . . flashed back."

I shuddered as Embry rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb in a comforting gesture as he pulled into the driveway. I squeezed his hand in a silent thanks as he parked. "Edward showed up and scared him off. He walked me to class and said he'd look out for me, but I just . . . I felt better if . . ." Biting my lip, I turned to look at my boyfriend, who was staring at me with nothing but sympathy and understanding in his multi-colored eyes. "I'm sorry I made you come al-"

He was already shaking his head. "Don't apologize," he demanded softly. "You know I'm always here for you." He brought our conjoined hands up to his face and kissed the back of my hand sweetly. "I'm glad you called. I wouldn't trust a Cullen for nothing."

His words warmed my heart and left me at a loss for words. "I love you," I whispered, the words leaving my mouth without my brain's consent.

Embry didn't seem to notice that they were words we hadn't spoken to each other since the first day we'd declared our feelings. He smiled, letting the dimples in his cheeks show as he clasped my hand between both of his.

"I love you, too, baby girl. Always."


	39. II: Thirteen

**OH HEY, I'M BACK!**

 **First of all, let me apologize for making you all wait so long. It has been a horribly long summer and on top of all of the other things happening in my life right now, I've been dealing with temporary writer's block.**

 **Second of all, this chapter sucks. It's 4:30 a.m. and I'm literally forcing myself to write because I want to give you all _something_ to go off of. I just can't seem to get back into my writing groove. **

**Please, please, please continue to read and review. I promise to try and update again soon, even if the chapters are equally as sucky as this one.**

 **But the content is important in understanding future chapters, and I have so much planned for this book right now. I'm so excited for you all to see where it goes.**

 **Let me know what you all think, and what you want to see happen! Drama, romance, other characters...? Please share your ideas and opinions.**

 **I love you all, and I hope you will forgive me for my disappearance.**

* * *

"Ugh, can Julia Roberts go ahead and be my baby mama?"

I giggled and shoved a handful of popcorn into my mouth as the actress mentioned strutted across the television screen. Wild, curly brown hair fell around 'Vivian's' face as she grinned, and Kim groaned again.

"Look at her! I mean, she's literally so perfect," Kim exclaimed with a hand flung outwards towards the television. "Even as a prostitute, she's still my role model."

Passing the bowl of popcorn to her, I swallowed the mouthful of buttery goodness and wiped my greasy hand on the end of the oversized t-shirt I wore. We had been watching chick flicks for most of the night in Kim's bedroom, and for the first time in my life, I was completely enjoying a sleepover with a female friend. It was such a change from hanging out with the boys; they only ever wanted to play video games or roughhouse. Having a friend who whole-heartedly agreed to romantic movies and bumming it, no questions asked and no whining involved, was turning out to be the best thing ever. "If Julia's your baby mama, then I call dibs on being the godmother of those babies," I joked as Richard Gere appeared on the screen, his soft, velvety voice filling the room. "And can we just agree that this guy is eerily close to being an elderly Edward Cullen? I mean, they even have the same name."

Kim's head fell back as loud laughter burst from her throat. As a wolf girl, she knew all too well about the Cullen family, especially with my sister's alliance with them. I felt a twinge of guilt for picking on the kinder Cullen. He'd been gracious enough to watch over me as I'd taken my exams the day before, after my encounter with _Mike_. He and his family had done so much for my own, with their watchful eyes and near-constant patrols of the house — but the wolves were where my loyalties lay, and no amount of kindness from a vampire could ever sway my thoughts on the matter.

"Ew, don't put that image in my head!" Kim exclaimed in disgust, though she was still chuckling. "I'll never be able to watch this movie again without thinking of that freaking vampire."

Grabbing another handful from the bowl residing in Kim's lap, I shoved the popcorn in my mouth and chewed thoughtfully as Richard Gene's character began playing the piano for Julia Roberts. I thought of my sister, with her similar shade of hair and skin tone, sitting on the top of the piano as her soft-spoken vampire boyfriend played a piece just as elegantly as this Edward had done. The Edward I knew had had a hundred years to perfect his talent, though.

I swallowed thickly, suddenly not hungry anymore.

"Hey, Nori?"

I jerked my head up to see Kim looking out the window by where we were perched on her bed. From the second floor, we could see that the moon was full and uncovered by clouds for once, leaving it to shine over the vast forest beyond her backyard. The darkness of Kim's room left both the television and the strong moonlight glaring off of her glasses, but I could still see her sad eyes from the side.

"Hm?"

The television flickered off of the side of her face, but her eyes remained focused outside. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be one of them? To be completely untouched by human weaknesses?"

I blinked, shocked by Kim's question. Her tone was heartbreaking, though — barely above a whisper — and I knew that she was thinking of her illness that was slowly killing her. She was beginning chemotherapy in a week, thanks to Dr. Cullen's quick diagnosis and a few favors called in to a clinic in Port Angeles. However, I could tell that the fear of dying was weighing heavily on her mind. I couldn't blame her; if it had been me in her shoes, I would have been scared shitless.

Clearing my throat lightly, I played with a piece of popcorn that had fallen onto the covers as we'd pigged out throughout the evening and pondered over her questions for a moment.

"It would be nice to be invincible to everything that can normally harm us," I finally said as pinched off a piece of the popped kernel in my hands and flicked it around on my palms. "But then I think about the cost. You'd live forever, but would it be worth it if you lose your family and friends? What about the need for blood? What if you _killed_ someone? You'd live for an eternity with that on your hands." I bit my lip to stop my miniature rant on the subject and took a deep, calming breath through my nose as my eyes moved up to watch Kim wipe stray tears away.

"It's not fair," she whispered brokenly as a sob wracked through her.

"I know." I scooted over quickly and wrapped an arm around my newfound best friend, allowing her to lean into me as she mourned for her lost youth.

She leaned back after a moment, sniffling loudly as she replaced her glasses over swollen, red eyes. Her eyes met mine, and I could see a spark of determination in the murky brown depths.

"I'm going to beat this," she whispered, though the words came out much stronger than I anticipated.

I wanted to believe her more than I'd ever wanted to believe anything in my life, but feeling the fragile, crushed kernel of corn in my hand reminded me that we were human and we were far from invincible.

Smiling half-heartedly, I couldn't stop the whispered words from leaving my mouth.

"I know."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Friday morning dawned bright and early, and I found myself rolling out of Kim's bed at noon after a long night of swooning over romantic men in chick flicks. We never spoke another word about the cancer, but I would catch Kim glancing out the window at the moon during random lulls in a movie, as if she were wondering if the sky held a heaven that was as captivating as the life she'd created on earth.

I had no idea how to distract her, other than to make dumb jokes and pick on characters until she was laughing so hard she cried.

Kim's mother made a lunch of fried chicken and asked me every question under the sun before Kim finally ushered me out the front door. Apparently, Kim's mother was just as surprised as Charlie had been when he'd found out I had a new friend.

Parking the car in the driveway, I stumbled into the house while rubbing my sleep-deprived eyes with the intention of heading straight for the shower, but Dad's voice stopped me before I could ascend the stairs.

"How'd it go?"

I shrugged, feeling the jacket on my shoulders begin to slip off, leaving me looking even more like a tired, homeless person. "It was fun. We barely slept and I gained three pounds in junk food, but it was worth it."

Dad chuckled and motioned upwards with his arm. "Well, go on and take a shower. You look like hell, kid."

I rolled my eyes at my father's upfront manner and muttered a sarcastic, "Thanks a lot," under my breath as I climbed the stairs.

Tossing my bag onto the floor by the bed, I stripped my layers as I crossed the hall to the bathroom and practically fell into the heated bliss of a shower. After a long night and the emotional turmoil in my head that was at a near-constant rate, I needed the moment the myself to relax and rejuvenate.

As the water pelted my back and I sudsed my dark locks, the I pondered over what the pack was up to. Embry had already mentioned before that he had to pull a double shift, thanks to a favor he owed Paul, and Quil was on the Makah reservation babysitting Claire and Caleb for the day. I thought of calling Seth to see if he wanted to hang out, but I knew he was probably asleep and I hated to wake him. The boys were running themselves ragged with the insane patrol schedules and fear of the redheaded vampire coming for us before they could stop it.

Of all of them, the one who was taking the entire situation to a whole new level was Jacob. He'd begun to call the house once a day — or have Billy do his dirty work for him — to "check up" on us. I knew he was mostly looking out for Bella, but the days when Charlie would be asked to mention my name over the phone always sent a giddy feeling through my stomach.

I hated it, but it was better than the insanity I had already gone through with the imprint before Jacob and I had established a friendship.

A smile came to my face as a random memory of joking around with Jacob in the auto parts store came to mind. It seemed like a lifetime ago, when in reality it had only been a few weeks.

That was the wild part of the entire ordeal. It seemed like it had become such a constant, normal part of my life, when in reality, imprinting, werewolves, and vampires had only existed in my mind for a handful of months.

I shook the thoughts out of my head and shut the water off. Dressing in baggy joggers and a gray sports bra, I tied my hair up into a messy bun and headed back downstairs.

I'd only made it halfway down when I noticed the voices.

"Why don't you arrest me, Dad? I'm the one throwing punches."

I gawked as my sister's voice floated up to me. Who in the hell was she punching, and _why_? A thousand scenarios of Edward causing trouble and Bella trying to defend herself filled my head, and too quickly the picture turned to that of Mike Newton and a defenseless teenage me.

Bella wasn't the only one who had ever thrown a punch, and I hoped to God that it hadn't been for the same reasons.

Shaking my head to dispel the unwanted thoughts, I descended the rest of the stairs just in time to see the back of Jacob's head disappear into the alcove by the kitchen. He was leaving.

And Dad was hot on his tail.

"What are you doing?" Dad exclaimed. "Are you crazy?"

The door slammed shut and Dad let out an irritated growl.

"What's going on?" I asked curiously as I came up behind him as he frantically pulled the blinds apart to peek outside.

"Your sister punched Jacob and he's trying his damnedest to get himself killed by Cullen over here." His eyes were trained on the group outside as he squinted through the blinds.

I gasped, "Bella punched _Jacob_?" The idea was too crazy to even formulate in my head.

Dad chuckled. "Yep. Looks like she broke a few knuckles, too. I guess Jacob will think twice about kissing her next time."

 _Jacob will think twice about kissing her next time . . ._

 _Jacob . . . kissing her . . ._

 _Kissing . . ._

I swallowed the bile that had suddenly risen in my throat and tried my hardest to ignore the stabbing pain in my chest. Jacob and I were friends. I loved Embry.

"So why are you watching them like some creepy old neighbor lady through the window?" I questioned, though my voice came out strained and slightly higher-pitched. I cleared it quietly. .

Dad leaned back with a huff. "Because he slammed the damn door in my face! What else was I supposed to do?"

Biting back a small laugh, I reached forward and turned the knob. "You could always try reopening the door," I suggested sarcastically before closing it again behind me and stepping out onto the porch to survey the scene.

Bella was sitting in the passenger seat of Edward's car, though she was half-leaning out the window to still be a part of the conversation. Edward was standing by her door, one hand on the open window by Bella's head and the other clench by his side. He was obviously angry, and his focus on Jacob told me exactly who his target was.

I took a few steps down the front walk to join them, but stopped a few feet away, knowing I was not part of this confrontation but feeling the need to be nearby just in case anything happened. I kept my eyes on Jacob's back, watching intensely for any sign of muscle twitches or fighting back the phase.

"May the best _man_ win," Jacob declared, his deep voice sending shockwaves through my body as I tried to determine what he could possibly mean by that.

Edward nodded briskly. "That sounds about right . . . pup."

I could almost feel Jacob's irritation as Edward walked around the car to take the driver's seat. Jacob offered an apology to Bella, but she looked away with a scowl. I wanted to throttle her for treating Jacob so cruelly when all he wanted was to give her all that her heart desired.

If only her heart desired him.

The silver Volvo backed out of the driveway and disappeared around the corner. Jacob's stance remained tall and stiff until the car was out of sight. Only then did his shoulders slump and his head fall forward.

I stood silently for a moment, unsure of what to do, but when Jacob turned and the heartbreakingly sad expression met mine, I took a step forward.

"What do you want?" he asked rather harshly, though I knew he was just covering his own internal pain. I was slowly learning Jacob Black's ways of handling life.

"What happened?" I asked, ignoring his question. I knew the answer, but there was so much more to it than a simple kiss gone wrong. Jacob was barely holding on by a thread before my very eyes, what with his expression and the trembling that now overtook his body. My sister was driving him to insanity without even meaning to.

Jacob shrugged and shoved his shaking hands into his pockets as he averted his eyes. "Your dad already told you."

Shaking my head, I took a few more steps forward, but Jacob stepped back with an anguished expression crossing his features.

"Nori, just . . . don't," he spat, his trembling only getting worse.

"Jacob, talk to me. Friends help each other. Let me help you," I practically begged, taking another step forward. It only earned another step back from Jacob.

He took a deep breath in through his nose and reached up with one hand to run it through his shaggy hair. It was growing so quickly.

"Help me . . ." he laughed, though it was cynical and pathetic. "God, Nori. You don't even know the half of it. I fucking poured out my heart to her. It was like something straight out of a romance movie, where the guy swears a bunch of things to the girl and she happily accepts it all. I could see that she loved me, so I promised to fight for her — to fight for her _beating. fucking. heart_ ," he hissed as his hand fell from his hair and he angrily reached out to punch the side of his car, leaving a round dent in the exterior. I hoped Dad had stopped watching through the window, or else he'd be seriously worried for Jacob's hand.

Jacob breathed heavily as he stared down. "I told her I loved her, Nori, and she punched me in the face." His voice came out just as gravelly as the driveway, making him sound like a lost child instead of the hulking man I could see before me.

It broke my heart. Not to know that he loved my sister, but to hear the sound of just how torn up he truly was now.

I didn't say anything. I had no idea what to even say without sounding like a mother trying to promise that tomorrow would be a new day and everything would be okay.

So instead, I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing his head down to my rest in the crook of my neck. His warm arms squeezed me to him as he held on for dear life and I could't find it in me to complain of lack of air.

And for the first time in my life, I witnessed Jacob Black cry.


	40. II: Fourteen

**Can I just start off by saying that I have the most amazing readers ever? You guys seriously make my day.**

 **Thank you so much for understanding. Yes, stress is driving me crazy and blocking all ideas, but your unwavering support and constant encouragement literally keep me going, ya'll!**

 **On another note, you should listen to _Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)_ by Green Day near the end of the chapter.**

 **By the way, this chapter is twice as long as the usual ones I post. So much happens in this single chapter, so please be prepared. I started writing and couldn't stop! Haha.**

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 **And now, on to the main event ^-^**

* * *

"Nawry!"

The smile that crossed my face couldn't be stopped as the adorable three year old latched herself onto my left leg and flashed her baby teeth up at me. Her black hair was in a single braid, but by the way the strands stuck out and the hair tie was slowly falling from the tip of her hair, I knew without a doubt that Quil had been the one to play hairdresser.

"Up! Up!" the little girl commanded, holding her arms out. I laughed and lifted her easily, bringing her to rest on my hip as I took a seat at Emily's kitchen table. Emily, as usual, was leaning against the far counter, a wooden spoon in one hand and a mixing bowl in the other as she most likely worked on dinner. It was four in the afternoon and I'd found myself on Emily's porch, knowing Seth's shift would be ofter soon. After the incident from the day Quil imprinted, I'd felt the need to find out what had happened between my brother-like friend and my imprint. However, everyone had been keeping quiet about it, and it was as if the moment never happened.

It still nagged at the back of my mind, though.

Claire's tiny arms wound around my neck as she kissed my cheek. "Missed you, Nawry," she declared after leaving a slobbery mess on my face.

"We all did," Emily spoke up, sending me a small smile. "Where have you been all week?"

Shrugging, I blew a raspberry on Claire's cheek, causing her to erupt into giggles, before turning my focus back on Emily. I pondered over telling her about Kim's diagnosis and Bella's broken knuckles, but I wasn't sure just how informed the older girl was and didn't want to be the one to spill any secrets. I then thought of talking to her about Jacob's breakdown, but something about that moment between my imprint and I seemed too private and personal to share with anyone else. So, I settled with safe topics and easy sarcasm. "Exams kicked my ass and Embry took me to see that new horror movie about werewolves and vampires. I'm still getting over my nightmares from how gross it was." I shuddered for effect. "Oh, and this morning, I decided to take over the world. You know, the usual sort of week." I grinned wryly, causing Emily to roll her eyes at me.

"God, you're like a hybrid of Embry, Jacob, and Quil. It's scary." She shook her head while I stuck my tongue out at her.

Claire squealed, "Qwil!" just as the back door opened to reveal the person in question. Quil swooped in and snatched up the toddler with a laugh before dropped a kiss on the top of my head. My eyes widened in shock — Quil was _never_ this forthcoming with affection.

Emily burst into laughter at my expression. "He's almost tolerable now, isn't he?"

I smirked, leaning my head back to look at the boy towering over me with a squealing, happy toddler in his arms. "Almost," I agreed, earning a flick to the forehead from Quil before he headed off to the living room with Claire.

The door opened as Sam and Brady walked in. Sam moved straight towards his fiancee with a smile, while the second youngest pack member headed for the muffins sitting on the table with barely a wave in my direction. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.

"Did Seth come in with you guys?" I questioned as Brady stuffed two muffins into his mouth, making his cheeks puff out like a chipmunk's. I couldn't stop myself from snorting.

Brady swallowed a little and motioned towards the backyard. "'e's outsthide," the boy mumbled, spewing muffin crumbs onto the table without a care.

Wiping my cheek to be sure none landed on me, I stood and headed through the door. Sure enough, the lanky little brother figure of mine was making his way across the backyard. As soon as he caught sight of me, he grinned and picked up his pace.

"Nori!" His warm arms lifted me off the ground in a bear hug before replacing me so that I could lean back and grin at him. "Why does it feel like I haven't seen you in a year?"

Rolling my eyes, I chuckled. "It's only been a week, you dork." I sent him a cheeky grin. "But I'm flattered that you missed me so much."

He pinched my cheek and stuck his tongue out before glancing over my head towards the house. "So, what's going on?"

Averting my eyes to his bare chest in front of me, I shrugged one shoulder. "Emily's making dinner. Quil's being cute with Claire. Brady's stuffing his face. Nothing new," I joked lamely. My eyes flickered back up to his. "Can I talk to you for a sec, though?"

Seth's face immediately grew serious at my tone, and it shocked me how much older he looked once the youthfulness of his joyful glow disappeared. He now looked almost like a boy whose father had just died while he had his life completely turned around by an unwanted phase. It was unnerving.

My stomach churned uncomfortably as he led us towards the forest pathway that led to the beach. His arm was slung over my shoulders in a friendly manner, but I caught his eyes wandering over the surrounding trees and sank into his side, fearing slightly for my safety, though the rational part of my mind reminded me that the boys were patrolling and the likelihood of a leech breaking through was zero to none. Still, with vampires on the loose, I really didn't enjoy entering the forest.

We reached the beach and took a seat on the same piece of driftwood that Sam had brought me to so many months before, when he'd finally explained imprinting and Jacob's behavior to me. I sighed, amazed by how far we'd come since those days.

"What's on your mind, Nor?"

Glancing up at Seth's curious gaze, I willed my tongue to speak my mind.

"Do you remember the day that Quil imprinted on Claire?" I murmured, allowing my gaze to move over the water lapping against the shore. It had a calming effect. "Sam had to run out because there'd been a fight . . ."

Seth's sharp intake of breath caught my attention, but I kept my eyes on the horizon. A flock of birds crossed over the surface of the sea, occasionally dipping their bills into the water to fish for dinner. My stomach rumbled silently, reminding me that I hadn't eaten since breakfast, but I ignored the feeling as Seth broke the short, split-second silence.

"Jacob didn't tell you?"

My head whipped around to face him, but his eyes were on the sand below our feet. "Tell me what?"

Seth sucked his lower lip into his mouth before releasing it to speak. "I did something really bad, Nori. Jake will probably never forgive me." His voice was soft and low as he stared intensely down at a small rock in his hands.

I opened my mouth to ask what, but Seth interrupted me to continue. "After I told you about Leah, I swore I wouldn't butt in anymore with you guys. I mean, you're like a sister to me, and I've always looked up to Jake." He sighed heavily and shook his head. "But lately, Jake has been almost intolerable. He's got such a short fuse; he's practically worse than Paul, for Christ's sakes! I'm one of the few who will willingly patrol with him anymore, because his constant inner war with himself over mental images and the imprint make everyone else crazy."

I blinked, my brows coming together in confusion. "What do you mean, mental images?" I questioned.

Seth didn't look at me. Instead, his eyes moved over the horizon, allowing the setting sun to splash a golden glow over his teak features. "Jacob can't focus like he used to. Between you, Bella, and the leeches, he's barely hanging on by a thread." Seth's head turned and his dark eyes found mine. "Fighting the imprint is _literally_ driving him insane."

My stomach knotted as I tried to swallow through a dry throat. I knew Jacob hadn't been himself since the imprint, but the idea that he was slowly headed towards the nuthouse only made the entire situation that much worse.

I needed to do something. I needed to help him. I just had no idea how.

Glancing up at Seth, I found that he was once again gazing out at the sea. He shook his head slightly. "I've seen a few of Sam's memories of fighting the imprint. He tried to use them to educate Jacob and make him see reason, but Jake is just too freakin' stubborn." Sighing, he moved his gaze back down to his lap. "Anyway, that day that we fought, we'd been patrolling together. Collin and Leah were there, and I'd been joking around with them about something or another. Jacob was struggling to keep his thoughts in check, because _everything_ was reminding him of you, but he was determined to focus on Bella. It was pissing Leah off." He snorted lightly, as if the idea of his sister pissed off was humorous. "She started taunting him with images of you — memories she'd picked up from the rest of us. His wolf would latch onto those images, and he'd grow angry as he tried to erase them."

Seth rolled his shoulders and leaned his forearms down on his knees, continuing to play with the rock in his hand by passing it between his fingertips and inspecting it. "He finally snapped," he murmured, his voice much softer. I had to strain to hear him. "He threw images that Sam or I had let slip of Leah back at her — intimate ones, heartbreaking ones, you name it. He had ammo and he wasn't afraid to use it." He clenched his fist, turning the rock to dust easily. Opening his hand, he watched as the particles fell to mix in with the sand below. "Collin was yelling at him to stop. He could hear me thinking that Leah couldn't take anymore. But, Jake wouldn't listen."

I reached out and laid a hand on Seth's forearm, offering a bit of comfort as his form shook lightly. My normally happy-go-lucky friend was so serious, so angry. It scared me a little.

Seth didn't look at me. Instead, he took a deep, settling breath, calming his inner wolf as he covered my hand with his left one. "Ever since Jake announced that he was fighting the imprint, I've been worried about your safety. I keep remembering Emily after Sam attacked — when we thought it had just been a bear that mauled her . . ." His eyes slid shut as the memory probably played again through his head. "I don't know why I did what I did, but I pictured you with Emily's scars. I told Jacob that you were going to end up just like her because he couldn't get his shit together, and the next thing I know, he came out of nowhere and attacked."

I squeezed Seth's forearm slightly, and his eyes moved to mine. "I swear that will never happen, Nori. Jacob may be a volatile psycho right now with his determination to fight this, but he's seen Sam's memories enough to know when to get away from you before he can do damage. There's no doubt in my mind that Jacob would do anything to protect you."

His words rang through my mind, sending an eerie wave of calm through my bones. _Jacob will do anything to protect you_. Somehow, I knew this was true. I only wished I could return the favor.

"Thank you," I said hoarsely, my voice full of emotions I couldn't determine. I squeezed Seth's forearm again and made eye contact. "Thank you."

Seth nodded, a small smile coming to his face as he moved his arm back to take my hand in his. "Everything is gonna work out, Nori. Just don't give up on hi-"

"Jacob and I are friends," I interrupted, looking away. I didn't think I could take any more of the assumptions that we were just magically supposed to end up together. It was obviously not going to happen. Besides, I had Embry. "Nothing more."

Something about that statement just didn't sit right with my gut, though.

Seth didn't push any. He simply offered me a piggy back ride back to the house.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

For the life of me, I could not decide on an outfit.

I stood in front of the mirror with a scowl and two shirts on hangers, trying to determine which would be the most appropriate for a graduation event in Forks High's gymnasium. I had never been the best when it came to fashion. Jeans and flannels were my everyday attire, for the most part.

I briefly considered going to Bella for help, but I knew that she was just as inept as I was when it came to the fashion trends.

"Dammit," I growled in frustration, slinging the shirts onto the bed as I stalked towards my closet and rifled through the clothes hanging peacefully. I only had half an hour to get ready, and I was wasting precious time on the clothes search.

My fingers brushed against a soft material, and I quickly pulled the article of clothing out of the closet. It was a floor length, casual style of dress that I'd bought while at the School of the Arts. My roommate had sworn it would be flattering on me, but I'd never been much of a dress person. However, I was desperate for something at this point.

Pulling the dress over my head, I scurried over to the mirror to take in my reflection. The dress was a light brown with thin, black horizontal stripes from the scooped neck to the hem at my ankles. It had a t-shirt style cap sleeve and clung to what curves I had, but not in an overly revealing way. It was simple, yet dressy enough for this event, and the color scheme and the fact that I could wear my black Vans with it screamed _Nori_.

Grinning, I pulled the elastic from my messy bun and let my hair fall in loose ringlets around my shoulders. I'd already curled the locks and applied makeup, knowing I'd need time to choose an outfit. I sifted through a jewelry box on my dresser and pulled out a handful of rings for my fingers before attaching a plain, black choker necklace around my neck. If I was going to look nice, I was going to go all out.

"We're leaving in five!" Dad announced, peeking his head in the doorway. He let out a low whistle. "I'm going to need my conceal carry if you're going out in _that_."

I frowned. "What's wrong with it?" My hands played with the straight, thin material. It was rather comfortable, if I was being honest.

Dad lifted a brow, as if I should already know the answer. "I'm not too keen about every boy in Forks staring down my sixteen-year-old daughter," he said matter-of-factly.

Rolling my eyes, I laughed. "Yeah, right. I'll bet you five dollars I don't get a second glance all night."

"I'll bet you I have to glare down at least three boys before the night's over."

Crossing the space between us, I held out my hand. Dad shook it with a smirk, and the bet was on. He turned to leave, but I cleared my throat, causing him to glance back at me.

"Oh, and by the way, I'm almost seventeen."

He rolled his eyes — a trait I'd inherited from him — and continued towards Bella's door. "Yeah, yeah. Don't remind me."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Bella met me by the stairs. I could hear Dad making small talk with Edward in the kitchen, meaning the Cullen boy had arrived to ride with us to the gym. After a hundred years, it was about time that boy graduated.

I snickered under my breath at the thought.

Moving to descend, I nearly fell backwards when she reached out and grabbed my arm, yanking me towards her.

"What the-" I gasped, but her hand clamped over my mouth as she led me into the bathroom directly behind us. Closing the door, she leaned against it and moved her brown eyes to mine. For the first time that night, I could see the blatant fear in them.

I knew something had happened.

"It's all connected," she said, not missing a beat. Her voice was hushed, and I had the distinct feeling that she was trying to hold off on letting a certain vampire on the first floor know exactly what was going on.

I blinked. "What are you talking about?"

"The vampire in our house, the vampires in Seattle. They're all _connected_."

I could feel the blood drain from my face as the realization hit me. "H-How do you know?" I choked out, my heart hammering in my chest. I took deep breaths in an attempt to calm it before Edward heard, but it appeared more like I was having a panic attack.

I basically was, at this point.

Bella bit her lip, glancing at the door behind her, before turning her attention back to me. "Edward mentioned a while ago that it seemed as if the vampires in Seattle were playing with Alice's ability. But, I think they used the one that snuck in to see just how much could go unnoticed. And now-" She gulped. "Now, they have my scent."

My fingers were shaking. This was _far_ more than I had ever bargained for when agreeing to accept the pack. I sucked in a deep breath to steel my nerves as I whispered, "Why would they do that?"

Bella shrugged and shook her head frantically. "I-I don't know. It doesn't make any sense . . ."

And then it hit me.

I gasped loudly, a squeaking sound emanating from my throat as it all clicked. And suddenly, it _did_ make sense.

"Victoria."

Bella's wide eyes met mine while her own face grew ashen in seconds. Her lips trembled as she caught up to my own train of thoughts.

"A mate for a mate."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

I had never heard my father cheer louder than he did when Bella walked across the stage. Jacob had brought air horns just to make the moment more memorable — and more embarrassing — for us all. I'd cackled like an idiot while he, Dad, and Billy hooted and hollered. Bella just blushed furiously.

After the conversation in the bathroom, I'd been on edge throughout the evening. The entire drive there, I'd zoned out of Dad's conversation with Bella and Edward and watched the trees, wondering if anything was watching me in return. I relaxed once Jacob and Billy met us in the parking lot, though I knew that the pack needed to be aware of these revelations. I just didn't know how to get Jacob alone.

The moment came when the gym began to empty and parents started searching for their graduates. Dad and Billy led the way with Jacob and I trailing behind. I grabbed his wrist and darted out a side door, pulling him behind me as we moved around the corner to stand behind the gym.

The dark woods were only a few yards away, and I could feel chill bumps raise at the thought of what could lay beyond.

"What the hell, Nori?" Jacob grumbled, staring at me like I'd grown another head. "Is there an actual reason for you dragging me back here?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, I was just planning on killing you," I retorted dryly.

Jacob quirked a brow, and with a sigh, he leaned back and peered around the corner before turning back to face me.

"Okay, what's going on?"

I took a deep breath and explained the situation involving Bella's revelation in full to my imprint. He listened intently, not once judging me for my stuttered words or interrupting me to ask me to slow down, like Embry would have. I loved Embry to death, but we were both human, and I had a tendency to annoy him with my little fearful quirks.

Once I'd finished, I sucked in another breath and wrapped my arms around my waist. It was chilly, and the thin material of my dress did nothing to block out the night air. Jacob sent a precautionary glance towards the woods before stepping closer. I could feel the heat rolling off of him in waves, and it slowly warmed my icy skin.

I sent him a smile of thanks, but he ignored it.

"I need to talk to Sam. I'll meet you and Bella at your house after your dinner with Char-"

I was already shaking my head. "The Cullens are throwing a graduation party. Bella and I are both attending."

Jacob's eyes darkened in anger as his fingers and jaw muscles twitched. "The hell you are. Are you both determined to get yourselves _killed_?"

Offering a wry smirk, I shrugged. "You know us Swan girls. We can't seem to stay away from danger."

Jacob's eyes bore into my own for a full minute before he sighed and rolled his eyes. "You'll be the death of me, I swear."

I didn't know if he meant the both of us, or just me.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Dinner lasted forever, and Dad couldn't get over the fact that _both_ of his daughters were actually going to a _party_. It was ludicrous in his mind. We just weren't the partying type.

However, the Cullens had been kind enough to throw the graduation bash, so of course Bella would be attending. I was only going to support her and keep an eye out on the leeches as they entertained the entirety of Forks High's population. With Embry's number on speed dial, I would be itching to call in reinforcements and make an escape.

Dad wolfed down his steak as I tried to enjoy my own, though my appetite had disappeared as soon as Bella had revealed the Victoria theory before the ceremony. Glancing at my sister, I could see that she'd barely touched her burger, and instead was staring off into space as Dad socialized over the back of the booth with Tyler Crowley's family. The Lodge was a packed with graduation celebrators and conversations across the room, since the town was like one big happy family most of the time.

I offered small smiles and waves to people who stopped to speak to us, and nodded along as they gushed over how much the two of us had grown. Here, Bella was a high school graduate and I was well on my way to finishing in the next year. And yet, it hadn't felt like we'd grown much until the previous few months.

Dad had barely swallowed his last bite of baked potato when Bella slid the check over to him and quipped, "Are we paying with the card or cash?" as if she were the waitress. Her knee was bouncing under the table, causing the bench we shared to jiggle lightly, and I bit my lip to keep from snapping at her to chill out. She was probably too keyed up over the redheaded vampire, as I was.

Dad laughed at her, joking as he asked what the hurry was and tossed a wad of bills down on top of the check. He motioned towards the waitress — an older woman who had worked at the joint for as long as I could remember — and called out, "Marge, the change is yours," before we stood. Bella practically shoved me backwards out of the booth in her rush to reach the door.

"See ya, Charlie! You girls have a nice summer, y'hear?" the woman called back just before we exited the building.

I bit my lip harder, tasting the rusty flavor of blood on my tongue, as I silently hoped she hadn't just jinxed us.

We climbed into the cruiser, and Dad sent us each a withering look before launching into an emotional banter with my sister. He was joking, for the most part, but I could tell from the twitch of his mustache and the way his eyes would squint every now and then on the ride to the Cullens' that he was feeling nostalgic and fighting back his tears. He sent Bella several side glances as she stared out the window. She didn't see his attempt to hold her attention with jokes and advice as anything more than "dad talk." I could see that it was his way of telling her he loved her and wasn't quite ready to accept that she'd grown up too fast, without him there for the most part.

It killed my dad to know that he'd had a daughter a thousand miles away and only saw her once a year, if even that. As close as he was to me, I could aways tell that he'd longed for a relationship with _both_ of his kids.

It took ten minutes to find the Cullens' driveway amongst the dark forest surrounding it, and another five to reach the actual house. Bella had started scowling as soon as the twinkle lights lining the entire three miles of driveway were spotted. I was in awe of the beauty and thought that these vampires had put into their decorations.

Dad stopped near the door and waved us off.

"You could come in with us," Bella offered with a small smirk as Dad leaned out the window to speak with us.

His mustached quirked upwards as he sent a sly look towards us. "I've got my own beer at home." He waved at us, sent me a look as he said, "Stick with your sister," and chuckled at our groans before driving off. We stood there in silence until the red taillights had disappeared into the night.

"Are you ready?" I murmured, already able to hear the thumping music and see the flashing strobes lighting the yard.

Bella cleared her throat lightly before turning to look at me with a humorously scared expression. "Not in the slightest."

Giggling, I led the way into the huge house with Bella hot on my tail.

It was dark inside, though the colorful lights hanging in strands around the crown molding were enough to see by. A large disco ball hung from the center of the ginormous room, and speakers had been set up to give the space a nightclub feel. Several of the graduates had already arrived, filling up the space, and I could spot a few faces that looked to be either older or younger than my sister's fellow friends.

I wondered just how many people had shown up to say they'd been inside the Cullen's illustrious, mysterious manor.

Bella immediately left my side once Edward came into view, and after witnesses an intimate liplock between the lovebirds, I decided to make my way towards the back of the room. A large table had been set up with drinks galore, and while none were alcoholic, I couldn't put it past one of the high schoolers to bring their own party drinks during the festivities.

I grabbed a red solo cup and filled it with Sprite before I leaned back and surveyed the party-goers.

"Lenora! What are you doing over here?" a musical voice spoke from my right. I flinched at the sudden appearance and turned to see the short pixie standing beside me, a bright smile on her face as she practically bounced on her toes in excitement. I averted my eyes as her beauty sent shockwaves and warning bells through my head.

"Um, I'm not exactly a party person," I admitted quietly, knowing she would hear me even with the loud hip-hop music blaring throughout the room. While I was outgoing and comfortable around my friends, it was hard for me to open up enough around strangers and unwind. It was something Embry and I had in common, which explained why we never really made friends or did anything new. But we were comfortable in our anti-social ways, so I wasn't complaining.

Alice scoffed. "You just haven't been to one of _my_ parties," she exclaimed, wrapping her ice cold hand around my wrist. "C'mon!"

I barely managed to sit my drink down before the tiny pixie girl pulled me through the crowd to the center of the dance floor. The music was thumping loudly as couples grinded against each other and swayed their bodies back and forth. I grimaced as their sweaty skin met mine, while Alice giggled loudly and began moving her body about to the beat.

I stood awkwardly in the middle of the dancing crowd.

"C'mon, Lenora! Just let loose!" She spun in a circle, shaking her ass and laughing.

Scowling, I grumbled, "It's Nori," and glanced around at the people who were much too close for my personal comfort.

Alice rolled her golden eyes and grabbed ahold of my arms that were crossed over my chest in discomfort. She began waving them back and forth between us as she moved her body. I bit my lip to keep from laughing at her attempts.

" _Nori_ , you're not even trying!" she whined in a high-pitched tone with a pouting lip.

Sighing exasperatedly, I jerkily moved my arms to the beat with an eye roll, but seeing Alice's eyes light up at my attempts brought a small smirk to my face.

"Go, Nori!" she squealed as she held onto my wrists. Slowly, as if I were a bottle of water with a pinpoint leak at the bottom, I felt the anxiety drain from my system and my joints loosened. I let a full blown grin blossom on my face as Alice and I bounced and shook along to the music.

It was the most fun doing something completely new that I'd had in years, and it was with a vampire.

Laughter bubbled from my throat as Alice's tinkling, bell-like laughter filled the space around us. My head fell back to release the heavy laughter, my eyes falling closed as the world seemed to slow down around me. It didn't matter that I was in the middle of a crowd, or that I was completely awkward, or that the person bringing me out of my shell was a vampire that could murder every breathing human in this room before I could blink. For the first time, I was completely at ease as I shook body parts along to the beat and opened my eyes, bringing my head back down as my eyes met with a pair of dark brown coming through the front door.

I froze.

"Oh, shit."

Alice dropped my wrists and turned to follow my line of sight, placing her hands on her petite hips and huffing. "Who let the dogs in?"

I didn't answer. My eyes had locked with Jacob's from his place in the doorway. It was as if he had instinctually picked me out of the crowd, and the puckered tilt of his brow and deep frown on his face showed that he was not happy that my dancing partner was of the bloodsucking kind.

I ignored Alice's complaints and pushed my way through the crowd towards the pack members. Quil was to Jacob's left, slightly behind him and smirking at the ladies, no doubt. My eyes moved to Embry, who was to Jacob's right and searching the room frantically. Upon seeing me break through the crowd a few feet in front of them, his face relaxed and he closed the distance between us, placing a kiss on my forehead and wrapping an arm around my shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned the boys, leaning around Embry to look at Jacob and Quil. They moved closer to Embry, creating a semi-circle in front of me.

Jacob's eyes scanned the room as he responded gruffly. "We need to talk with the Cullens. Where is Bella?"

Shrugging, I motioned to where Alice was now standing by Jasper near the drink table, deep in conversation. Jasper's eyes were burning into us as his mouth moved quickly, his words directed towards his little pixie friend. "I don't know, but Alice and Jas-"

"Jacob!"

Bella appeared from the hallway, and Jacob was quick to meet her halfway. The music was too loud for me to hear their words, but his enthusiastic greeting and her shy stance were too much for me to watch.

I looked up at Embry. "Did Jake . . .?" Looking back, I saw them walk across the room to talk privately in the far corner.

Embry nodded, a grimace forming on his face. "He called us all in for a meeting at Sam's," he explained. I pursed my lips to keep from smirking at the way he referred to a wolf howling for all to hear and come as _calling_ , as if it were as normal as _calling_ them on the phone. "You smell like _leech_ ," he complained lowly, snuffling into my hair and leaning back to breathe fresher, non-tainted air.

I shrugged uncomfortably. "Oops," I murmured, clearing my throat and glancing at Quil, who was bobbing his head along to the beat of the music. A girl approached him from the side, a wide, star-struck grin on her face as she asked him to dance with her. Quil smirked and led the way, but not before sending a wink back at us.

Snorting, I caught Embry's eyes as he rolled them. "Do you want to dance, too?"

My boyfriend's eyes shot down to meet mine as if not believing what he'd heard. "Dance?" He scowled. "Not really my thing, babygirl."

Shrugging, I leaned against his side and surveyed the room alongside him. I loved Embry, and I loved how comfortable I felt in his embrace, but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of boredom as we stood awkwardly to the side.

Quil rejoined us after a few dances with Miss Slightly-Tipsy, and together we picked on those who were showing obvious signs of becoming drunk off of the rum that had been snuck in and those who were dressed scantily. Quil had a solo cup of rum and Coke in one hand, and with each word spoken in my direction, I scrunched my nose at the stench of alcohol.

Of course, it had no effect on him.

We'd barely made it through half of the crowd when Embry stiffened and Quil stood straighter. I glanced up and saw that they were both looking to Jacob and Bella. Jacob had made eye contact with the boys, and I watched as he motioned lightly with his head for them to join him. Embry kept an arm around me and Quil stood on my opposite side as we pushed our way through the crowd to where Bella was fidgeting and Jacob was frowning. Quil took Jacob's left flank. Embry took his right, leaving me standing just in front of my boyfriend with his hands on my shoulders and my sister directly in front of me. It was almost as if we were ganging up on her, and I shot her a small smile in an attempt to assure her that that wasn't the case.

Jacob faced Bella once again. "We already know," he informed Bella, who stared wide eyed up at him.

She quickly blinked, shaking her head and hitching one shoulder up. "I-I don't know w-what you're t-talking about," she defended, as if playing dumb would save her from telling the pack.

I bit my lip as Jacob shot a sideways glance at me. Taking a deep breath, I threw myself under the bus. "I told them."

Bella's eyes grew so wide, I was sure they would fall out of her head. "Y-You- But, Nori- _Why_?" she gasped, completely dumbfounded.

"Why not?" I retorted, confused. What was the deal with letting the pack in on the big secret? It wasn't like they did not already know about Victoria.

Before Bella could respond, her eyes flickered to movement by the staircase. She shot a hand up in the air and waved, calling for Alice, and within seconds, the pixie was by her side with an uneasy expression on her porcelain face.

Alice whispered something in Bella's ear, causing my sister to nod and glance at the rest of us. "I'll, uh, see you guys later . . ." she trailed off, moving to walk away with Alice.

Jacob stepped forward quickly, placing one thick, sturdy arm against the wall to block their escape. "Not so fast," he growled down at the two girls. I leaned back into Embry's embrace as my boyfriend wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind, making me feel like I was caged in a safe haven.

Alice stepped back from Jacob in shock as she murmured words just too low for me to hear. Jacob glowered down at the little vampire girl in return. "What are you planning?" he demanded, his voice gruff and deep. He was growing frustrated, and with a quick glance up at Embry's face and over at Quil's, I could see that they were all on edge. It was no wonder. They were surrounded by the scent of vampires, in the vampires' home, in search of information on an army of newborn vampires, led by a psycho vampire they'd already spent months trying to kill. I was just surprised they hadn't burst into furry critters yet.

Suddenly, Jasper was standing just on the other side of Jacob's arm, a murderous look on his pale features directed solely towards Jacob. Embry moved quickly, positioning me to his side with one arm around my shoulders protectively, the farthest away from the volatile vampire, while Jacob slowly retracted his appendage.

Bella's eyes met mine in pure panic as Jasper placed himself between the girls and the rest of us. This was beginning to escalate too far for being in the presence of unknowing humans.

"You guys really know how to bring the party down," I joked lamely, the words tumbling out of my mouth quickly without a thought. Bella forced a laugh in an attempt to lighten the mood, but the high-pitched, squeaky sound did nothing but add more tension to the air.

Jacob and Jasper continued their stare down, as if seeing who could glare the longest without killing the other. Embry began to tremble lightly, so I reached up and grasped the hand on my shoulder in my own as a comforting gesture.

"The wolves may have a point," Alice said, breaking the silence and bringing all eyes on the short girl, though nobody moved.

Bella questioned her, and the pixie's eyes flitted across each of the wolves and back to my sister before sending her a meaningful look. "It seems as though a decision has been made."

"Are we going to Seattle?" my sister asked carefully.

Jacob growled lowly, as if the thought of Bella accompanying them was ludicrous. I was right there with him. It was an idiotic plan if it were true.

Alice shook her head, that knowing look still on her face as Bella's face paled significantly.

" _No_ ," she gasped, and I lurched in Embry's arms slightly. Something was dreadfully wrong.

Bella's eyes met mine, and it was as if I had finally caught up to the same point she was at in the conversation.

My mouth felt dry as I whispered the words, no question in my tone. "Here. They're coming . . . here." Everyone but Bella heard me, and I didn't doubt that she could tell from the looks on their faces that I'd been right on the target.

All eyes moved to me as it suddenly clicked, the final puzzle piece coming together in my mind. "Holy shit, Bella. They're coming for _you_."

And then all chaos ensued.

Bella was frantically adamant on leaving, while Alice tried to console her. The wolves were speaking loudly amongst themselves, with Quil and Embry advising Jacob on what to do, and Jasper was standing just as still and stoic as he had been the entire time, though his face had melted into a more thoughtful expression. His golden eyes met mine, and he offered a nod of acknowledgement. I averted my gaze just as Jacob's no-nonsense voice broke through, silencing the others.

"How many are coming?" he questioned forcefully.

Alice closed her eyes for barely a second before shaking her head with a frown. "I-I don't know. Maybe twenty? Twenty-one? There are a lot. All newborns."

Jacob nodded minutely as Jasper spoke up for the first time since joining the group.

"Size doesn't matter. We have our own advantages, dog. We'll make it an even fight." His southern-twanged voice held a lilt of offense towards the tallest pack member.

Jacob stared at him for a moment before his lips slowly turned up into a dark smirk. "No," he said, his eyes darting to Jasper's. "It won't be . . . _even_."

Alice let out a hiss with a face-breaking grin that Jacob returned easily before they launched into coordinating and details quickly, launching words back and forth while the rest of us looked on and listened. I could feel the adrenaline pumping through Embry's veins as my fingers caressed over the pulse point in his wrist. Quil was beginning to shift his weight from side to side, an eager grin on his face at the thought of fighting vampires.

But Bella was not thrilled.

"No!" she bellowed, her face contorted in shock and fear. I quirked a brow at her as she was otherwise ignored. The boys made plans to meet during the night at a field to go over strategies and plans. I watched in complete interest, knowing I was probably the first human in existence to witness a battle plan laid out together between two enemies of such different backgrounds.

Bella was still adamantly putting her foot down. I attempted to move closer to her, but Embry's strong arm around my shoulders held me in place. He glanced down from his intense focus on the discussion to shake his head at me before looking up again. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"Three o'clock, roughly ten miles north of the Hoh Forest ranger station. Our scent will come from the west, if you'd like to follow it in," Alice supplied. "Can't miss it." She smirked at her own joke as the boys wrinkled their noses.

Jacob nodded. "We'll see you there," he agreed before turning. Quil and Embry followed suit, with me in tow.

"No, wait!" Bella called out frantically. "Jake, _please_! You can't go through with this!" Her pale arms latched onto Jacob's to turn him back around and face her. "You'll get killed!"

I swallowed the bile that had risen in my throat at Bella's obvious concern for _my_ imprint. Shaking my head, I pushed those thoughts away and leaned further into Embry's side.

Jacob grinned down at my sister, but the look in his eyes was far from humorous. It was almost excited.

"No worries, Bells. This gift is way better than what I got you."

Bella's mouth opened, but no words came out as she desperately grasped onto Jacob's shirt sleeve. He gently pried his arm away and led us towards the front door.

Once outside, Jacob stopped and turned to face us. His eyes were hard as he made contact with Quil and Embry. "You two, go inform Sam about the meeting tonight. Tell him that we need every wolf there, except Seth and Leah. They'll run patrols."

The boys nodded as I stared proudly up at the boy who, just a few months ago, had barely been able to make a decision for himself. It was amazing how far he'd come towards finally taking his place as the next alpha.

Embry squeezed me a little tighter, bringing my attention up to him. "Where'd you park?"

"Dad dropped us off," I admitted with a frown. I didn't want to stay here any longer than I had to, but it would look odd if I randomly appeared at home without Bella, and I couldn't very well leave her on her own.

Embry scowled and glanced towards the house.

"Go. I'll stay with her."

My eyes flew to Jacob's as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He rolled his own dark brown ones and motioned with his head. "Just _go_. I need to wait and see if anything changes, anyway." When nobody moved, he glared at each of the other boys. "Fine. If either one of you wants to stay and chit chat with the Cullens, be my guest."

Quil immediately jogged towards the forest, but Embry hesitated. His eyes were narrowed at Jacob, but as soon as they moved down to me, they softened. He kissed my forehead gently and then kissed my lips. Leaning back, he squeezed me to his chest once more and murmured, "I love you, Nori."

"Love you, too," I whispered into his chest before he bounded away.

Jacob stood there with an unreadable expression on his face before he blinked and erased the emotion from his eyes.

"So," I drawled out in an effort to start conversation, glancing around us. We were standing just off of the porch in the walkway, surrounded by darkness and the loud music. The song changed abruptly from a heavy bass-driven techno to a soft, choppy melody, and for a moment I thought the music had gotten stuck.

And then I recognized the song.

"Green Day," I murmured, cheering slightly on the inside. This was more of my style of music.

Jacob hummed. "One of my favorites."

"I know," I said without thinking. My cheeks blushed furiously as Jacob's shocked expression met mine. "I-I mean, most of those CDs of yours in Bella's truck have Green Day on them. I just, I just assumed . . ." I trailed off with an embarrassed laugh.

Jacob grinned lightly. "I forgot all about those," he muttered. "You like them?"

I smirked. "I could sing each song backwards if you asked me to."

Chuckling, Jacob glanced around at the empty yard before taking a small step towards me. His dark eyes met mine and the shockwaves that flew through my veins nearly sent me tumbling backwards. It was as if he had imprinted on me all over again, though I knew that it only happened once. He sucked his lower lip into his mouth as all traces of joking disappeared from his face, making him seem too serious.

I fought the urge to touch his cheek.

"Do you- I mean, um, would you like to-" He rubbed the back of his neck with a wince. "Dance with me?" he asked, a tinge of hopefulness in his eyes.

I tensed. "I don't know how," I admitted softly, ashamed. I'd barely learned how to dance earlier with Alice teaching me, but I had no idea how to dance with another person to such a slow, intimate song.

Jacob shrugged and offered a reassuring smile. "No worries. I'll teach you."

His warm hands gingerly grasped my wrists and moved them to his neck, where I clasped my hands, frozen in place at the feel of his burning skin against my own. The hairs at the base of his neck tickled my fingertips, and I had to fight the urge to run my hands through his hair.

Stupid imprint. I love _Embry_.

Jacobs hands gripped my waist lightly, pulling me closer to him so that my chest barely grazed his, putting me closer than I'd been to him in a long time. The imprint was practically purring in my soul. My eyes stayed glued to his as he swayed us side to side to the sound of _Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)_.

"You look really pretty tonight, Nori," he said lowly, sounding as if he were in middle school.

My eyes flew up to his and he looked away, a blush reaching his cheeks.

I cleared my throat uncomfortably. "Uh, thank you. Embry thought so, too," I responded, reminding him of my boyfriend even though Embry hadn't commented on my attire. I ignored the deflated feeling as I realized that Embry hadn't commented on any of my efforts to look nice. And here Jacob was, noticing even though we were only friends due to the imprint.

He nodded and looked away as he sucked in one cheek and swayed us side to side.

"So, what's your favorite album?" he finally asked, breaking the tension that was building between us.

I let out a thankful breath, earning a small smirk from him. "That's an impossible decision. All of their albums are amazing."

"Okay, then top three favorite songs?"

Rolling my eyes with a chuckle, I thought about it for a minute as I chewed on my lower lip. " _Wake Me Up When September Ends, Boulevard of Broken Dreams,_ and _Basket Case_."

Jacob's brow quirked. "Sometimes I give myself the creeps . . ." he quoted.

I smirked. "Yeah, man. Or that mind plays tricks on you."

He rolled his eyes at my dorky response and laughed — a true Jacob laugh. The kind that Bella always received.

I couldn't stop the full blown grin that formed on my face.

We swayed in silence for a minute, but it wasn't awkward. Jacob's eyes were glued to mine, and a million emotions swam in their deep, dark chocolate depths. He held me gently, as if I may break with too much pressure, as the music floated out to us.

And I couldn't help but think that this, most definitely, was me having the time of my life.


	41. II: Fifteen

**So, I hope I have somewhat pleased both the Nori/Embry fans and the Nori/Jacob fans all in this chapter! Haha, I had a little too much fun with this one.**

 **As you've probably noticed, I've started to veer off of the set script that Stephenie Meyer created. While it was pretty verbatim beforehand during scenes from the book, I've decided to take it in a tiny bit of a different direction. It will still be the same basic ideas and events, but dialogue will be a bit more varied and, of course, Nori will have her own part in everything.**

 **Thank you all for the wonderful reviews! And to the person upset with the Jacob/Nori cuteness, I really am sorry. It's a Jacob imprint fic. You had to know it was coming at some point.**

 **Though, Embry does still hold a chance. Who will ultimately win Nori's heart? I promise, there is plenty more drama, action, cute fluff, and angst to come.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Stephenie Meyer's work. I only borrowed it to have some fun and kill some time.**

 **And now, please enjoy the chapter! Oh, and don't forget to review :D**

* * *

I woke up to a hand pressing over my mouth to muffle my shriek of terror.

"Geeze, Nori. Way to wake up the whole damn house," a voice grumbled quietly in the darkness above me.

Rolling my eyes, I shoved the heavy arm away from my face and say up straight in bed, blinking a few times to acclamation to the dark surroundings. Standing in front of me was Embry in his usual cut offs attire, meaning he'd run here as a wolf.

My open window explained how he'd gotten in.

"What are you _doing_ here?" I whisper-yelled, rubbing my eyes to rid them of sleep. I glanced at the clock to see _2:53_ blinking back in red block format and groaned. It was too early for this shit.

Embry moved silently towards my bedroom door. "I just figured you'd like to come to the meeting tonight." He leaned his head out into the hallway for a moment before returning with a grimace. "Those fucking Cullens can't seem to stay out of your house for more than five minutes."

My brows raised in question, and Embry nodded towards the doorway. "Bella's tick toy is picking her up for the meeting," he explained, his face scrunching up in disgust. My face quickly mirrored his at the sound of Edward's new nick name.

"Put this on. It's chilly," Embry said, tossing me a gray sweatshirt from the closet. I caught it easily and slipped it over my head, covering my bare arms that were exposed in the tank top I'd worn to bed. I stood and stuffed my feet into a pair of boots that were usually better suited for wintertime; my shoes were kept by the back door, and sneaking down the creaky stairs to retrieve a pair without waking Dad up wasn't happening.

Embry chuckled quietly and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into his sturdy chest. "You look adorable when you wear Mickey Mouse." His tone was joking, though he pressed a kiss to my nose before I jerked my head down to see that I was, indeed, wearing my dark blue pajama pants with the little mouse's head patterned across them at different angles. It looked ridiculous, but I laughed anyway.

"Shut up," I grumbled, slapping his arm and pulling myself out of his embrace. I tiptoed over to the window and leaned out, viewing the ground two stories below. Turning around, I sent a sarcastic smirk to my boyfriend.

"So, who's jumping first?"

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

White knuckles gripped Embry's fur as we flew through the forest. The rush of adrenaline from moving so fast was exhilarating and I grinned into the wind as laughter bubbled from my throat and Embry yipped in return.

" _Oh . . . my . . . God!"_ I screeched wildly into the air whipping around my face as the wolf underneath me yowled in laughter. I was ninety-nine percent sure that my hair was a giant rat's nest at this point, but I couldn't find it in me to care, nor could I find the courage to release the scruff of Embry's neck and attempt to tame the curls.

We came to the edge of a large clearing in three minutes, even though the meeting place was a good ten miles east of the Cullens and twenty miles southeast from the meeting spot. Embry truly had flown to get us here, and I was completely breathless as I slid down from the six-foot-tall wolf.

"It's official. I'm selling my car and hiring you for rides, okay?" I joked as I ran a hand over Embry's muzzle affectionately. He hummed with a roll of his massive green and brown eyes and plopped down on his haunches to look over my shoulder. Turning to view the meeting space, I found that the rest of the pack had already arrived. Nine sets of eyes reflected eerily in the light of the moon as the giant creatures sat around the edge of the forest close to our left. My eyes widened as I realized that Sam had brought the _entire_ pack instead of leaving Seth and Leah behind as Jacob had ordered.

Moving my gaze across the field, I found the Cullen family standing around. The two that had appeared in my backyard the day Paul came to the rescue were stretching their arms, and I wondered if they were planning on fighting each other or one of the wolves to get their points across.

I shuddered at the idea of witnessing that.

My eyes found a very familiar face amongst the Cullen clan, and I smiled as I saw a tired, droopy-eyed Bella sitting at the base of a tree, her eyes focused on the boy she claimed to love. She truly did not want to miss out on anything.

"Looks like a Swan family reunion!" a voice called out, its tone laced with laughter.

I narrowed my eyes in the direction and saw the largest vampire of the group grinning at me, his pearly white teeth practically glowing against his pale skin.

"Did you come to snooze, too?" the bear-like man asked, still grinning like a cheshire cat. His entire demeanor put me at ease as I caught myself chuckling at his sly comment about my sister.

Embry growled lowly from my side, so I placed a hand on his scruff and quirked a brow at the vampire.

"Nope," I said, popping the 'p.' "I came to watch my boys kick some vampire ass."

At my declaration, the entire pack erupted into agreeing yips, as if laughing at the vampire's expense. It didn't matter; the Cullens had joined in with the laughter.

They thought I was kidding.

"Watch out, Emmett," Edward said with a sideways, crooked grin. "She's quite serious."

I couldn't even be angry with the boy for reading my mind. Emmett's blanched expression was reward enough.

Embry's head bumped into my shoulder in an attempt to guide me towards the rest of the pack. I kept a hand on his scruff and followed, keeping my eyes on the vampires.

"Still a little spitfire, I see," Emmett joked as he wrapped an arm around a tall, gorgeous blonde's shoulders. The woman's mouth was quirked up in a smirk, making her ten times more beautiful and mysterious than any model I'd seen on magazine covers.

Flashing my own pearly whites at the leeches, I nodded and came to a stop between Embry and Paul, their fur brushing both of my shoulders. Embry took to his haunches again, yet I was still dwarfed by the two towering over me, their focus on their temporary allies.

"And damn proud of it," I retorted, earning a snort from Paul as his eyes cut to me sideways. I sent him a big, cheesy grin before taking a seat on the ground and crossing my legs indian-style.

Edward stepped forward with the eldest Cullen, both moving extra slowly as the wolves' ears twitched and muzzles lifted slightly to reveal razor-sharp teeth. With an even, clear voice for all supernatural creatures and humans alike to hear, the doctor greeted the group.

"Welcome. I'm so glad you could join us." His arms moved out as he spoke in an all-encompassing gesture.

Sam, who sat a few feet in front of the semi-circle of wolves behind him, nodded his black, shaggy head.

Edward's voice cut through the short silence in an unusual, deep monotone. "Thank you." His eyes were burning golden as he stared at Sam, and it took me a full minute to understand what was going on. "You can demonstrate and we can plan, but do not ask us to do more than that. We cannot promise that much self-control."

He was speaking for Sam.

Carlisle nodded and motioned to Jasper, who stood up straight from where he'd been whispering into little Alice's ear and faced us with a tense, stern expression. "Jasper has battled newborns before. He will provide fighting techniques that you can apply to your own style of attack."

The atmosphere had tensed substantially. I zoned out of the conversation held between Carlisle, Sam, and Edward, and took a moment to observe my pack friends.

They were barely holding it together.

Paul was making a constant rumbling sound, barely loud enough for my ears to detect, while Embry kept touching me with his nose, usually ruffling my hair to keep the stressed frown off of my face. I swatted him away with an eye roll and threw my windswept waves up into a messy bun.

My eyes moved over Seth, Leah, Collin, and Brady, who were positioned in the heart of the semi circle directly behind Sam. They were jittery, each moving slightly in some way as if to offset their heightened adrenaline at the sight and smells of vampires nearby. Poor Brady had resorted to lying on his belly and pressing his nose into the dirt.

Jared seemed to be more at ease, which made sense with his being the second oldest to phase, though I could see Quil shifting his weight between paws, as if fighting back the urge to pounce.

And Jacob — Jacob was eerily calm.

At the far end of the circle, sitting stock still with his dark eyes trained on the vampires still speaking, the russet brown wolf didn't even flinch as a gust of a breeze carried the scent of vampire past the pack. His fur ruffled, the others rumbled lowly in their throats while Collin gave a minuscule, pathetic whine, but Jacob didn't seem affected.

He truly looked like an alpha ready to lead his pack into battle. My stomach dropped at the thought.

"Pay attention."

The new voice caused me to jump out of my reverie and turn to face the vampires again. Embry touched my temple with his wet nose again, and I leaned into him with a sigh as the curly blonde began addressing the group, though his back was turned to us.

"These creatures'll have no practiced skill," Jasper said, his accent giving his words a southern lilt. "They'll come at you like savages and fight like children. You _must_ remember two things when taking them on." He turned, letting his eyes dance over the pack as he spoke clearly, as if making sure everyone understood how important his words were. "First of all, do _not_ go for a quick kill or obvious attack. They'll be too fast and too strong. And second, if they get their arms around you . . ." He paused, his golden eyes aflame with seriousness. "They _will_ kill you."

A low rumble sounded throughout the pack.

"You'll want to throw them off. Come from the side or behind. Use your angles and your size to your advantage."

He turned sideways, so that he was neither facing us or his family as he motioned to one of his own. "Emmett'll join me in our first demonstration."

The bear of a leech darted to his brother's side with another mischievous grin, excited for the showdown. I blinked at his quick movement, not quite used to such blatant displays of supernatural ability. The boys were usually careful to keep their speed and strength to a minimum when around us humans.

"My brother here is the closest we have to a newborn vampire," Jasper drawled, a smirk forming on his own face at his joke.

Grizzly guy barked a laugh before his eyes moved to either side of the audiences. "Yeah, right. He just wishes he had my strength."

"It's what makes you the closest to a newborn." Jasper turned his head to either audience. "He'll use simple, strength-based attacks, which will be very similar to what you'll encounter in the battle. Pay attention to how he can be warded off."

Emmett's grin widened, if possible. "Good luck," he said with a dark chuckle.

And the fight began.

I gasped and leaned further into Embry as the two figures became blurs of white. With each pause, I could see their wide grins and their fully intact bodies, but then they'd be off again in a dizzying whirlwind, dancing around each other and darting across the center expanse of the field.

I blinked, and it was over.

Jasper's teeth were dangerously close to Emmett's throat, and with a loud, " _Dammit!_ " Emmett shrugged the thinner boy off of him and stalked back towards his blonde companion.

I couldn't stop the bubble of laughter that left my mouth at his defeat — something he caught and sent a narrowed glare back in my direction, quickly followed by a roll of the eyes and a joking grin.

"That guy is literally you in vampire form," I murmured to Embry. The wolf jerked as if I'd burned him and sent me an annoyed side glare.

"Hey, it's true!" I defended quietly with a chuckle. "It's funny, though."

Embry grumbled while several of the wolves snorted several times, trying to contain their laughter.

They'd all heard me in Embry's head. Oops.

I sat in silence, gently resting my head against Embry's furry shoulder as Alice stepped up to battle her boyfriend, or whatever Jasper was to her. Using her special powers, she easily sidestepped his attacks each time, quickly ending their fight in an adorable kiss to his jugular before giggling.

It continued for an hour. Jasper gave helpful tips between miniature practice battles, while each Cullen member took a turn showing off their impressive speed and skills. I watched with rapt interest, only flinching when occasional snarls and hisses were emitted from those who got too caught up in the moment, and each time, Embry pressed a wet nose to my hair.

Edward joined Bella by the tree, keeping her close to his side as her eyelids slid shut during Carlisle and Emmett's brawl. Emmett slung the doctor through a handful of trees and pounced, but the older vampire managed to leap overhead, landing behind his younger son. His pale hands grabbed Emmett from behind as he leapt onto his back, much like Jasper had in the first battle. With his fangs at the bulky, dark haired boy's throat, the battle was called.

"I believe that's enough for tonight," Jasper said with a nod towards the pack. "We can pick back up tomor-"

"No," Edward interrupted, his voice in that strange, deep, detached sound again. Though this time, it was slightly different than when he had spoken for Sam. This time, it was slightly less gruff, and his eyes were boring to Sam's left. "It's my turn."

Everyone's eyes shot to Jacob as he moved lithely from his spot at the far edge of the semi-circle. His eyes were solely on Jasper, completely ignoring Sam's warning growl and the worried whines and shifting paws of the pack.

"What is he _doing_?" I whispered harshly, leaning forward as I watched Jacob move to stand across from Jasper, in the same starting spot that the vampires had used for each battle. He turned to face the blonde leech, his face directed slightly away from us, leaving me unable to see his expression. Though, from the tense stance and raised head, I knew that Jacob was serious and determined to prove himself.

I bit my lip, not even caring if I drew blood in a meadow of bloodsuckers.

"Jake, what-"

Bella's words were cut off as Edward pulled her back to a sitting position, preventing her from running onto the "playing field." She mimicked my slightly leaned forward position, though her face most likely betrayed more concern and fear than my own. I was quickly swallowing down my emotions and focusing on good vibes.

Jacob would need them.

Jasper's mouth quirked up as he nodded to the wolf and crouched forward lightly. "Give me all you've got, dog," he said, repeating the name he'd used for my imprint earlier in the evening, when Jacob had confronted Alice and Bella.

Jacob sniffed and bent down, ready to pounce.

"Go."

Jasper became a blur as he leapt towards Jacob. I could feel each of the wolves tensing and twitching with each of Jacob's movements, as if they felt like they were in the battle themselves. My eyes stayed glued to the russet wolf as it blurred in with the white figure, dodging blows and managing to keep an upper hand.

It was absolutely mesmerizing.

Jasper was talented and obviously held a wide knowledge for battling different opponents, but Jacob seemed to have a natural ability when it came to the attack. He moved gracefully, landing on his paws with ease as he jumped over and rolled under, stepped to the side and slid backwards. He used his body to knock the vampire off his feet and shove him off of his back the one time Jasper seemed to get an upper hand.

My hands grasped at Paul and Embry's paws, digging into their fur without a care as my eyes followed the scene before me.

Jasper paused, his maniacal grin directed towards Jacob as the wolf huffed just before the vampire darted to the side, intending to come in at an angle. Jasper's arms came up and around Jacob's neck at lightning speed.

I screamed.

Jacob's body withdrew, the fur receding at a rate too fast to even comprehend. One minute he was a giant wolf, and the next, he was slipping from Jasper's grasp as a naked human with a tattoo on his arm and leg. With no wolf in his grasp, Jasper's momentum kept him moving forward just as Jacob rolled out of the way. He burst into a wolf and snatched Jasper's lower leg with his mouth, slinging the bloodsucker around and straight into the ground. One large paw slammed onto Jasper's back, while his jaw opened to place itself around the back of Jasper's head, putting Jacob's sharp teeth dangerously close to Jasper's alabaster skin.

Everyone froze.

The only sound was that of Jacob's labored breathing for a full ten seconds before he slowly lifted his muzzle.

"We're finished here," Edward said, his eerily calm voice sending chills down my spine. Jacob stepped away from Jasper and, with one last glance towards the Cullens, he rejoined the pack and took his original place.

Jasper stood, brushing grass off of his clothes and dirt from his face with a scowl before turning to face his family. "Well," he deadpanned. "I sure don't think we have anything to worry about."

Emmett cracked a grin and the wolves made various sounds, from huffs to quiet yips of celebration. Jacob had proven that the pack was well beyond a beginner phase and fully prepared for this battle.

I couldn't stop the insane amount of pride welling up in my chest as my eyes took in Jacob's stern, strict pose. He didn't have a mark on him.

"That was amazing, how you managed to switch between forms so quickly," Carlisle mused. "I do believe this has been an eye opening event tonight."

Edward stood, bringing Bella up with him. "Sam would like his pack to catalogue our scents, so as to prevent any confusion during the actual battle. If we all stand still, they can pass easily."

Carlisle agreed with a nod and the Cullens each froze where they were. Sam motioned with his head, and with one fluid movement, each wolf stood and moved as a unit across the meadow. As they grew closer, they collapsed into a single line, allowing them to move by each vampire and take a whiff.

I walked by Embry's side, keeping one hand clenched to his fur. We moved in behind Paul, with Jared, Quil, and Jacob coming in behind us. It was as if we had transformed into a train, or an elementary version of follow the leader.

I bit back a laugh at my middle of the night, sleep deprived thoughts and nodded to Jasper, who we reached first. He sent me a smile and murmured a small, "Hello again."

Alice gave me a hug, forgetting to stay still and causing several of the wolves around us to growl lowly. Jasper tensed, but Alice waved them off. "Oh, relax. I would never attack my dance partner."

Carlisle and his wife smiled in my direction, but otherwise said nothing. I averted my eyes and kept my gaze on Embry as he leaned his head over me and sniffed each of them deeply.

"You have yet to kick any vampire butt," Emmett reminded me as we approached him.

I rolled my eyes. "Keep at it, and you'll be my first victim," I snapped snarkily, though the grin that soon followed showed that I wasn't serious. It was too fun to joke with the grizzly bear of a man.

He winked. "I'll hold you to that, Swan."

The woman standing by him with one arm around his waist kept a severe poker face, though her golden eyes were dancing with laughter. She was more intimidating than all of the others combined, so I kept my eyes on my feet and continued on.

Edward pursed his lips as the wolves sniffed him, and Bella kept her eyes beyond me, over my shoulder. As soon as we'd completed the round, Embry's head moved around to push me into his shoulder, and he leaned down to give me better access to climb onto his back. I did so without question and laid down, clutching his scruff as he moved smoothly back towards the other end of the field with the pack.

I could see Jacob stop to play with Bella. Closing my eyes, I focused on Embry's breathing underneath me.

We moved for a few seconds, equal to ten deep breaths from the wolf carrying me before we stopped.

Opening my eyes, I found that we were just inside the treeline with Sam by our side. The others had disappeared. Turning to look over my shoulder, I could make out a human Jacob standing with Bella and Edward.

"What's going on?" I whispered, even though no one in my company could verbally respond.

Embry huffed and cut his eyes to Jacob before abruptly turning us around, facing away from Sam. I listened the the crunch of leaves as Sam phased back, and his rough voice answered my questions.

"Jacob is making plans with them," he murmured as we turned back around. Embry laid on the ground, eyes focused on the group still in the field while Sam stood to our left in a pair of ripped basketball shorts. "They're discussing the best place to keep Bella safe during the altercation."

"The _altercation_?" I sniffed. "That's an interesting way to put it."

Sam's lips lifted in a smirk, but otherwise didn't move. He listened intently, and I tried to keep my breathing as quiet as possible to keep it from accidentally interfering with anything. My heart was still racing after witnessing Jacob's little battle stunt. With or without the imprint, the sight of one of the pack going against their sworn enemy in such a way really brought the truth home to me.

My friends were all in danger and the possibility of them getting hurt — or worse — was very high.

I shuddered at the thought.

After a few minutes of silence, I grew too impatient. "What are they saying?" I whispered curiously.

Sam was silent for a minute, his brows furrowed, before he finally responded through the side of his mouth. "They're considering hiding her in the mountains, away from civilization." His eyes darted down to Embry. "When Jacob mentioned the break in, was Bella's sweater the only thing missing?"

Embry's eyes met his alpha's as he nodded and cocked his head to the side, as if asking, _Why_?

Facing the meadow again, Sam sighed heavily. "I just worry that they'll have more than just _Bella's_ scent on their radar."

I had no idea that the others could hear us until that moment, when Jacob spun around so fast he became a blur. I couldn't hear a voice, but Sam's brows perked up as if in response to something said, and he motioned to Embry with one hand.

"Nori, I don't want to alarm you," the oldest pack member murmured to me as we broke through the trees, "but I think you're just about as safe as your sister is at this point."

I sucked a breath in through my nose. "Well _hell_ ," I growled, reaching one hand up to run down my face tiredly. I _knew_ Bella's relationship with these vampires would come back to bite me in the ass.

We reached the group once again and found their eyes all on me, save for Edward's. His were on Sam, and he looked pensive.

"You make a valid point," the ginger-haired Cullen said to the giant of a man beside me. "Perhaps we should consider hiding Bella and Nori together."

I didn't miss the way Sam's eyes flickered to Jacob before moving back to Edward. Jacob's lips were pursed as he stared into space, deep in thought.

"I think that would be best. As Jacob said, we will leave two of our cubs on the reservation to protect the people. But Nori may be a liability. She and Bella should be kept far away from the towns."

I flinched, gulping heavily. Sam thought I was a liability. He knew I was bringing trouble to the reservation thanks to this whole fiasco. I suddenly felt nauseas at the idea.

I loved the reservation. It was my home away from home, and I would never bring harm upon it in a million years.

 _Well_ _hell_ , I cursed again in my head, earning a glance from Edward and a twitch of his lips.

"How will we get there?" Bella asked, speaking up for the first time. Her voice was tired and cracked halfway through. "I mean, they'll recognize our scents and follow the trail."

Edward pursed his lips in thought, as did the rest of the group.

"Wait, there's an idea," the mind reader suddenly said, turning to face my imprint. Jacob's brows raised in question. "It just crossed your mind."

"You mean-"

"Yes," Edward nodded. "It could work." He turned to where the other Cullens stood a handful of yards away. "Jasper!"

The blonde joined the group in a split second, and Edward immediately rambled off the idea, courtesy of Jacob. "I need you to test a theory. I'm too accustomed to Bella's scent." He gently pushed Bella towards Jacob. "Carry her for a hundred yards into the tree line. Jasper will follow to test the scent."

Jasper nodded and Jacob eagerly lifted my sister into his arms bridal style. I grimaced and rested my head on top of Embry's.

"And Nori?" Sam reminded, much to my chagrin. I wasn't sure if I was ready to be toted around by the boy that fate had supposedly picked for me. Something about that much skin on skin contact made my stomach clench, and I wasn't sure if that was a bad thing.

Everyone looked to Jacob, as if trying to figure out how many females he could carry at one time. He rolled his eyes and sat Bella down. "Bella, climb on my back." He leaned down slightly so that my sister could easily wrap her arms around his neck and hop up. Her legs tightened around his waist, and after using his arms underneath her to lift her slightly higher into position, Jacob's arms reached out for me.

I stared at him dumbly.

"I'm not gonna drop you, if that's what you're worried about," he chastised. I scowled, but slid down from Embry's warmth and into Jacob's arms. He pulled me up against his chest, holding me bridal style while Bella continued to hang on to his back.

I tried not to focus on how idiotic we looked, all hanging off of Jacob like the desperate women we were. It was almost comical, in a way.

Edward grimaced, but motioned towards the woods directly behind us. Without another word, Jacob stalked off with us both.

It was silent, save for the nightlife sounds as Jacob trudged through the woods. I could feel the muscles in his arms tighten around me with each step as I jostled slightly against his chest from the movement. Bella's arms were by my face, her head on his opposite shoulder which I was silently thankful for. This moment could not have gotten any weirder.

Making a wide arc, we returned to the field at a different entrance point, halfway across from where the others stood. Bella patted Jacob's shoulder and he stopped, stooping to allow her to slide off without injuring herself. I twisted slightly, expecting to be released next.

Jacob held me tighter and continued walking with Bella at his side.

"I can walk too, you know," I reminded him, crossing my arms indignantly.

Jacob grinned wryly from above me, making his strong jawline all the more prominent. "But what's the fun in that?"

He slowed his pace slightly, allowing Bella to march ahead of us towards her beloved Edward. I took the moment to inspect Jacob's features, once more reassuring myself that he was completely unharmed after his showdown with Jasper.

"You did good," I complimented softly, my eyes still on his jawline.

His eyes darted down to me, surprise swimming in their depths. "Y-You're not freaked out that I almost took off a leech's head in front of you?"

I shrugged and chuckled. "I'm more so relieved that you guys are better prepared than I thought." Moving my eyes up to his again, I sighed. "I won't have to worry so much when the actual fight happens."

Jacob's lips twerked up as his eyes returned to the group we were quickly approaching.

"It's hard to believe you and Bella are related."

In the moment, I took his words as a compliment.


	42. II: Sixteen

**Just a forewarning: you may need to break out a box of tissues towards the end of this chapter! I know I did.**

 **I won't take up a lot of time with an AN today, but as always, I want to thank all of my lovely reviewers and readers! You guys rock!**

 **One question: after reading the end to this chapter, what would you like to see happen? Review with your ideas!**

* * *

"What do ya say to a good ol' fashioned fish fry tonight, kid?"

I pursed my lips and grabbed the poles from the trunk of the cruiser. It was well past lunch time, and after a full morning of fishing on the sound with my father, I was in need of a shower and a nap. Turning with poles in one hand and a muddy old tackle box in the other, I left the trunk for Dad to slam shut with his free hand.

"Only if you're cleaning them," I retorted, heading for the small, white storage building by the side of the house. It was more of a dilapidated shed after years of neglect, and its use was only to house the lawn mower, fishing gear, and various garden tools. For as long as I could remember, it had been in a pitiful state, and over the years it had only grown progressively worse.

Kicking a broken board out of my walking space, I entered the musty room and used the sunlight streaming through the thousand cracks in the woodwork to find my way to the back, where several hooks lined the wall, waiting to hold the fishing poles again. Dad had nailed them in when I was seven after a nasty accident from keeping the poles on the floor. Stepping on a four-inch, deep sea bait hook with only a pair of thin, flimsy flip flops had successfully ruined the first month of my summer by putting me on crutches for weeks.

Smiling at the memory, I put the fishing supplies in their respective places and balled my hands into fists, placing them on my hips as I took a look around. Dad didn't care that the building was in such disarray, but I could see so much potential in the little space. All it needed was a little TLC, some fresh boards, and a thick coat of paint.

I made a mental note to bring up the subject to Dad over the coarse of the week. After the battle during the coming weekend, I'd have nothing to do with my summer; plus, I was fairly certain Embry wouldn't mind helping me if it meant spending time together.

Dad had taken over the kitchen counter to descale the catchline of fish, and after years of complaining about the mess, he'd finally learned how to clean up after himself instead of leaving it for me to do. I shot him an exaggerated thumbs up as I headed by him towards the stairs. The smell of fish, seawater, and sweat clung to my skin and clothes, leaving me holding my breath for the most part.

I grabbed fresh clothes and headed straight for the luxurious hot shower, fully prepared to drown myself in coconut-scented products until the fishy smell was nothing but a memory. As much as I loved fishing and hanging out with my father, the smell of the creatures after a long day always burned my nose and gave me a headache.

I let the hot water loosen my muscles as the spray fell over my shoulders and closed my eyes in thought. I was running on two hours of sleep after the long night spent in the meadow preparing for the upcoming newborn battle. Dad had surprised me with the idea of a trip, and now that impending doom was so close, I felt unable to say no. Losing a bit of sleep was worth it.

Another meeting had been planned for the night ahead, but I wasn't attending. Witnessing the practice battles once was enough for me, and while I'd told Embry that I just didn't want to die of boredom, the truth was that I was terrified of watching someone get hurt. I trusted my wolf pack and their abilities, especially after seeing what Jacob was capable of. It didn't erase all of my fears, though. I'd worry either way.

As I rinsed shampoo from my hair, I reminded myself that I needed to call Kim and give her a time to come over for our impromptu slumber party. With the second meeting, she was on edge with worry for Jared, and I had a stack of movies and a kitchen stocked with food waiting to be eaten. It had been a few days since I'd spoken to her, and I missed her company and wondered if she'd received any more news from the doctors in Port Angeles. She was so quiet and shy around everyone, yet somehow, our friendship brought out her inner social butterfly. I felt useful, needed. It was such a change to the feelings I got around my guy friends.

Sure, they needed me around to keep them on their toes, but was I useful? Other than the occasional heart to heart or tag team member? Not really.

I frowned and shut the water off.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Three hours later, I woke up to the sound of voices. My ears pricked as Bella's soft soprano echoed through the walls and I rolled over, intent on getting five more minutes of shut eye when a single word caught my attention.

" _. . . Leah . . ."_

My eyes flashed open as I strained to hear more.

" . . . _pack . . ."_

Scrambling from my bed, I tiptoed across the hallway to rest my ear against Bella's door, confused as to why she would talk about Leah, Embry, and the pack to her vampire friends unless something was going on.

" _But why would Jacob keep secrets from me?"_ Bella.

I opened the door without thinking, interrupting their conversation and catching Edward sitting calmly in the rocking chair by Bella's window. He didn't seem surprised to see me, which led me to believe that he'd heard me coming long before I walked in.

Bella, however, jumped on me at once. "Nori! What do you know about Jacob and secrets?"

I snorted, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning against the doorjamb. "Jacob's a freakin' pandora's box of secrets, to be honest. I wouldn't be able to tell you half of what he's thinking." My eyes flickered between the two, taking in Edward's cheshire grin and Bella's thoughtful expression. "Why?"

Bella collapsed her face onto an open palm, held up by an elbow propped on her knee, while Edward simply rocked lightly back and forth.

"Your friends are very interesting when linked together in, er, wolf form," Edward said, still grinning slightly with an all-knowing expression.

My brows furrowed and my eyes narrowed, trying to determine what he was getting at.

"The legends are such a prominent part of their culture, and yet they still seem to find surprises."

Edward was enjoying his riddles, and I was afraid that if my eyes narrowed any farther, I'd lose sight of him altogether.

Bella was more impatient than I was. "Okay, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"They just accepted that it would always be the grandsons that would hold the power."

Bella's head tilted sideways as she huffed, just as frustrated as I was with Edward's little mind game.

"Spit it out," I snapped, not exactly sure where he was going with this but fully prepared to defend my friends.

Edward sighed and cut his eyes to Bella. "Leah Clearwater."

" _She's_ one of them?" Bella exclaimed in a half-choking gasp. "Since when? Why wouldn't Jake tell me about her?" Her questions spewed from her mouth like a drink she'd spit in shock.

"Since Harry's heart attack," I supplied, my eyes still softening as I thought of the poor girl. She was tough as nails, but nobody deserved to go through as much heartbreak as she had. "The guys don't like to talk about her situation. She's had enough of a time this year." I pursed my lips, reminiscing on all that Leah had struggled through since the wolf gene resurfaced a year before. Between losing Sam to her cousin, watching her father die as she burst into a furry creature alongside her little brother, finding herself surrounded by naked teenage boys on a constant basis and forced to listen to their gross thoughts, and being the only female to ever go through this, it was a wonder she hadn't completely gone insane. She was a role model, in a way. Her immense amount of strength was phenomenal.

Bella's jaw dropped as she put two and two together. "So she and Seth . . . That's why Harry . . .?"

I nodded. She shut her eyes in regret and breathed, "That poor girl."

Edward scoffed. "I wouldn't feel too bad. She's determined to make everyone's lives around her miserable, and doing a mighty fine job of it if what I overheard last night was any testament to it."

I stepped into the room, kicking the door gently closed behind me so as not to alert Dad of a problem in case our voices raised, and leaned back against the white painted wood, keeping my arms crossed.

"You really don't know shit, so why don't you butt out of their heads and focus on the real problem at hand?" My eyes were beginning to hurt from the intense narrowed glare, but Edward was finding too much enjoyment in this, and it wasn't fair to any of the pack.

Edward cocked a brow. "While I do find enjoyment and a bit of humor in this, I haven't forgotten the big picture. I was just enlightening Bella on a few of the secrets her _dear_ friend has kept to himself." His eyes moved to Bella, who was now hugging a pillow to her chest. "For example, did you know that Jacob possibly has a half brother?"

I pushed off of the door, an anger that would make Paul's seem like a toddler's temper tantrum coursing through my veins. I was fiercely protective of my own. "What in the hell is wrong with you? Gossiping like a bunch of middle school girls about people's personal lives won't help us survive against the damn newborns."

Edward had the decency to deflate and press his lips together at my outburst. I let memories of the person in question flood my mind, showing Edward exactly the box of worms he was opening for the world.

Bella ignored me. "Who?!" she demanded, completely enraptured.

Edward glanced at me and then at Bella, then back to me. "I only thought it was ironic how the possibility exists, and its relevancy to their predicament today." He explained, as if finding it entertaining that I was dating my imprint's possible half-brother.

I felt like a part of a damn soap opera.

 _"Who_?" Bella whined, her eyes on me. I scowled and shook my head, not about to throw anyone under the bus.

Edward's eyes burned into me, hearing my mental frustration directed towards him. He had opened the box of worms, and Bella shared the same curiosity as I did, meaning she wouldn't stop until she got her answers.

"Nori's right. I shouldn't have mentioned it."

Damn Edward Cullen and his big mouth.

Bella's eyes moved between us, and I realized that either way, she'd find out. It didn't even matter if she knew. It was just the principal of the matter — sharing someone's private life all because you could hear it in their head. It wasn't right.

"It's Embry," I whispered, glaring at Edward but speaking to my sister. "I'm sure your family has its own secrets, Cullen," I hissed. "Think of that before you start digging through the pack's."

With that, I turned and left.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Dad was like a kid on Christmas when I passed the fish fry out. He dug in before we could even say grace and left Bella and I to awkwardly follow suit without looking at each other. She'd apologized for diving into Embry's personal life and swore she'd never tell a soul. Of course, I'd forgiven her. I was just a little peeved at her boyfriend for not understand how his sneaky way of stalking was wrong.

"So, Billy called. Apparently Rebecca is back in town. Running away from an abusive husband or something," Dad said between bites. "She wants to file a restraining order."

My brows raised as I glanced up at my father. "Really? That's wild." Shoving another forkful into my mouth, I tried to remember which one Rebecca was. "Wait, was she the one who played 'house' with us as kids?"

Dad shook his head and swallowed. "No, no. That was Rachel. Rebecca always dumped her mud pies on you."

Scowling, I stabbed my fork into the food on my plate. "She was such a bi-" Clearing my throat, I rephrased my sentence before Dad could fuss. "Female dog."

Bella and Dad chuckled at my word choices before returning to their dinner. We ate in silence before Bella assisted in washing the dishes. She laughed at my attempts to create mashups of popular, annoying hit list songs and managed to splash me once as she begged me to stop and never try again. I was just glad we were okay for the time being.

But something was nagging at the back of my mind, and I had a feeling that things wouldn't stay okay for long.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Are you sure you don't want to come tonight?" Embry asked, his voice sounding slightly warped through the speakerphone. "I'm pretty sure your sister will be there."

I rolled my eyes and strummed a G chord on the guitar as I leaned over the phone lying on my bed. "The fact that both Edward and Jacob will be there automatically means she'll show up." Sighing, I slowly picked a C chord. "I love her to death, but it's getting ridiculous."

Embry snorted, sending air blowing sharply into the phone and a causing me to laughing silently. "She's pitting Jake against that Edward guy to see who will win her over like it's a game." He sighed softly. "I just don't see this all ending well, you know? Either she breaks someone's heart, or they end up fighting each other for her." I could imagine Embry shaking his head with pursed lips. It gave me butterflies to know how well I was accustomed to my boyfriend's reactions. "Jake's my best friend. I don't want to see anything happen to him."

It was silent for a minute as the unspoken thoughts sank in, causing a thick tension. We could judge my sister all we wanted, but it still didn't erase the fact that we were in the wrong as well. We were fighting the imprint just as hard as Jake was.

"I love you," I said, breaking the silence in a desperate attempt to remind him exactly why we were doing this. A ball of emotion slid up my throat, but I swallowed it back down.

"I love you, too, babygirl" Embry responded, a smile in his voice. "More than you know."

I grinned and began strumming lightly again as voices could be heard in the background over the speaker.

"Oh hey, I think we're gonna head over to Jake's to grab a late dinner. Have you already eaten?"

I nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see me, I face-palmed at my own blunder. "Yeah, sorry," I said, laughing at myself.

"You just face-palmed, didn't you."

Giggling harder, I grinned down at the phone. "You know me so well."

Embry barked out a laugh. "Well, of course. I only love you because you face-palm."

"Go be a fatty, you jerk," I retorted with more laughter. Even after a long day, complete with shitty moments, Embry had somehow lifted my spirits. I loved him for it.

Laughing again, Embry promised to pick me up first thing in the morning and take me out for breakfast as soon as his nighttime meeting was over, so that we could catch up over bacon and pancakes. After another round of 'I love you's', I hung up with a huge grin on my face and continued writing song lyrics on a notepad, inspiration running through my head the more I thought about my kind and wonderful boyfriend.

Butterflies erupted in my stomach again.

"Was that Embry?"

Kim stood in my doorway, dark bags under her eyes and a duffle tossed over one shoulder. I scrambled from my bed and rushed to hug my newest best friend.

"Does it matter? My partner in crime has arrived. The night is ours!" I said dramatically, causing her to laugh at my antics. Tossing her duffle to the side, I led her back down the stairs with promises of crappy horror movies on the big screen and junk food. It was the best way to distract ourselves throughout the night as our boys went to make battle plans with their allies.

We stole the television from Dad after much begging, and he ended up sticking around for the first horror movie. It was funny to see him so confused as he tried to make sense of the gore and confusing, purposeless plot line. Kim and I cracked up each time he yelled at the characters on screen or ranted about how dumb the scriptwriters were.

"Your dad is seriously hilarious," Kim whispered to me halfway through the movie as we lounged on the couch, leaving Dad to take up the recliner.

He cursed at the dumb blonde on the screen as she ran directly towards a masked murderer, practically asking for death.

"Where did you think I got my funny bone from?" I retorted with a snicker, shoving a handful of M&M's in my mouth before passing the king-sized bag over to Kim.

The doorbell rang, surprising us all. At 9:30 on a Wednesday, we weren't expecting company whatsoever.

Dad stared at the door before groaning loudly and stretching his arms above his head.

"Nori," he grumbled. "You wanna get that?"

I rolled my eyes at my lazy father and slowly stood as the doorbell rang again. "Way to be motivated, Dad," I muttered as I padded across the kitchen to the door.

The sight I was greeted with was the last thing I'd ever expected.

Standing in nothing but our welcome mat wrapped around his lower half, Embry stood on the porch gasping for air as if he'd run a marathon.

I burst into wild giggles.

"Embry, what the _hell_ are you doing?" I asked through hearty laughter, tears springing to my eyes at the sight of my boyfriend in nothing but a freakin' _welcome mat._

A loud sniffling sound caught my attention, and jerking my head up, I finally saw the tears running down his face. I'd never in my life seen Embry cry more than a handful of tears, and yet his cheeks were drenched in the downpour. His eyes were bloodshot, his form was shaking, and he refused to look at me.

Glancing over my shoulder to see that Dad and Kim were still engrossed in the movie in the living room, I stepped out onto the porch, barefooted, and shut the door behind me. "What happened?" I demanded, grasping his forearm.

He jerked back as if I'd burned him.

I froze, my heart racing a mile a minute as I tried to dissect the situation and understand. My boyfriend began to pace across the short expanse directly in front of the steps, gripping the mat to his waist with one hand and running the other through his hair roughly. He was still panting. It was the first time I'd heard any of the boys pant after phasing.

"Embry . . .?" I whispered tentatively, needing to hear him say something to explain or at least put my fears to rest. I wondered if the meeting had started early, if a change in the timeline had come up, or if someone had gotten hurt.

My heart dropped. I could feel it. Someone had gotten hurt, and I was ninety-nine percent sure it was one of the boys.

"Goddamn it, Embry!" I snapped, terror flooding through my veins as I let loose a word I _never_ said. I hated using God's name in vain, even though I wasn't an overly religious person.

Embry flinched at my tone and came to a stop, his eyes shooting up to meet mine.

He burst into tears again.

"I-I-I-" he blubbered, gasping for air. "I t-tried- I c-can't- It's t-too much . . ."

I tried to make sense of his words without physically touching him, afraid he'd pull away again. I'd never seen Embry so fragile, so broken. It completely threw me for a loop as I watched him stutter over words that made absolutely no sense.

Unless . . .

"Is it the imprint?" I murmured and he moaned, rubbing his face with his free hand as he continued to pace. "Is it too much? Is it Jacob?" He shook his head wildly, gripping his hair as he sniffled loudly before a sob broke through.

"I never should've- I . . . I didn't- . . . _fucking SHIT!"_ he roared, grabbing a potted plant that was as tall as I was and weighed nearly as much and slinging it across the yard with one hand. I flinched harshly as it hit the ground, ceramic pieces flying across the area. I had no idea how I'd explain that to Dad, honestly.

"Em, calm down!" I murmured soothingly, catching his hand in mine as I tried to make him stop pacing.

He fell down into a heap on the top step, dragging me down with him. "I-I-I don't know how he does it!" he exclaimed, choking on the words. "I-I can barely . . . I can't . . . It _hurts_ too much . . . I-" More tears fell from his eyes, drowning his cheeks and dropping across his chin, chest and onto the ground.

I ran my hands over his cheeks, wiping the moisture away to the best of my ability as I tried to calm his nerves.

"Babe, you've _got_ to take a deep breath, okay?" I took a deep breath in and watched as he mimicked me. "There you go. Take a few more." He did as I told him to and within seconds, he was staring out across the yard, completely silent, completely motionless, with tears still streaming down his face.

It was eerie how quickly he'd shut down.

"Em . . .?"

He slowly took a staggering breath in.

"Please talk to me," I whispered, afraid to speak any louder and have him go off again. I was scared shitless.

I couldn't make heads or tails of his cryptic words, and I still had the feeling that someone was hurt.

He clenched his fists, sniffled loudly, and took a last breath in before slowly turning his head to meet my eyes. The amount of pain radiating through the brown and green depths nearly sent me tumbling down the stairs.

"Nori, I-I" he choked, averting his eyes.

I touched his cheek, forcing him to look at me. "Embry, you know you can tell me anything."

"I-I-I . . ." He licked his lips, gathering his thoughts. "I can't be around you anymore."

I leaned back in shock, my jaw slightly hanging loose while he stared down at the prickly mat wrapped around his legs.

He sucked in a deep breath. "I can't- I don't know how- I _need_ to be _away_ from you for awhile."

My stomach clenched as his words sank in. Was he breaking up with me? I'd always assumed that if anything happened to our relationship, we'd somehow fall back into our friendship without a problem.

Oh, what a naive child I'd been.

"Em, _why_?" I breathed, unable to speak a full sentence or articulate exactly how I was feeling. I was confused out of my mind and struggling to decipher his riddles.

His eyes met mine once again, silently screaming what I didn't want to hear.

And in that moment, without even uttering words, I realized why I'd felt like someone was hurt, or something was wrong.

The bubble of happiness I'd finally built around us popped, and suddenly, I knew.

 _I knew._

"Please no . . ." I choked, a sob threatening to break free as tears sprang to my eyes. I couldn't handle this. It would be too much. It would be the pebble to flip the seesaw of whirlwind emotions that I'd barely stabilized.

His face was heartbreakingly beautiful as he nodded.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he chanted, collapsing into my arms. I held him as tightly as I could, not caring that I couldn't breathe from the strength of his embrace or that there would be definite bruising across my ribcage in the morning. None of it mattered, because in the morning, nothing would be the same; because, we only had this moment to truly grieve for what we'd lost; because everything we'd built had come crashing down in one giant, solid heap on top of my shoulders.

Because Embry had imprinted, and he didn't want me anymore.


	43. II: Seventeen

**So, I have decided to do a double update tonight, because I just can't put it off. I will be posting an author's note in a moment to explain myself.**

 **This chapter will either seriously anger you, or seriously intrigue you. I hope it's the latter.**

 **As always, please review and give your input! Don't hate me too much . . . I love you all.**

* * *

When I was ten, Mom decided to remarry.

I was crushed. For most of my life, I had conjured up this fantasy that someday, Mom would come running back to Washington with her heart on her sleeve and Bella in tow. Everyone else at school had normal parents who tucked their kids in at night and asked about their day at the dinner table.

Mine couldn't talk to each other for more than two minutes without fighting.

Embry was the only person who ever kind of understood how I felt when it came to my family life. Growing up without a father automatically put him in the dysfunctional family category, and when the loneliness would creep in and leave me gasping for breath and green with jealousy, he was there listening to me rant and cry. He was there promising that everything would be okay, that I was damn lucky to have the amazing father that I had. I knew that anytime I was teetering on falling, he would be there, with arms wide open, ready to catch me.

It's funny how such resilient ideas can crash and burn in a single second.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"Do you think we should do something?"

Dad was standing right outside my cracked bedroom door, most likely peering in at my lifeless form facing away from his worried gaze.

I couldn't remember when the last time I'd moved had been.

"Dad, just give her a little space. She'll be fine."

 _She'll be fine._ If only it were that easy.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

As a kid, I used to hang out on the reservation more often than not. With Dad working and no other parent to watch over me, it just made sense to leave me with the Blacks and let me hang out with the other children during the day.

It's how I grew so close to the boys. They'd come to hang out with Jacob, and I'd be there in the mix, cracking jokes and getting just as dirty as the rest. I became one of the boys.

But Sarah Black always seemed to have a way of drawing the line. Where my femininity ended, her motherly advice and shoulder began.

Shortly after my mother announced her engagement, I chose to run away to the Rez. I managed to walk ten miles before Quil Sr. picked me up and took me the rest of the way to the Blacks'. He'd given Billy my pathetic story about Dad saying it was totally fine for me to walk twenty miles to "visit." It wasn't a surprise that Billy had seen through my lie.

He never said a word, though. Instead, he left me with Sarah and went on to work. She'd questioned me kindly over cookies and milk until I'd admitted why I ran away.

Grasping my hand, she'd explained that people often confused "love" for "lust," or thought that a mutual like was the same thing. My mother and father had never been in love. They'd married as young, star-crazed kids and had Bella right off the bat, determined to start a family and live happily ever after.

And when that didn't work, they'd had me in an effort to fix all that was broken in their relationship.

They'd forced things until they were too tired and frustrated to continue on, and mom didn't hesitate to pack her bags and go searching for someone new.

I'd been angry for so long over it. I'd blamed myself and blamed them. But the truth was, they just hadn't been in love. It wasn't anyone's fault, really; it just wasn't meant to be.

Sarah had then told me the legends of her people - legends I'd heard since I was old enough to remember. She'd singled out a certain one in hopes of restoring my faith in true love.

The story of imprinting may have been strictly for the wolves, but the idea of love at first sight was relevant worldwide. She'd told me of how meeting Billy had been nothing but a glance across the gym as two teenagers, and she'd fallen in love. There was no imprint, no supernatural, and yet it was as if something magical had occurred. They'd been happy ever since.

When Sarah died and Billy lost the ability to walk in a car accident six months later, I watched Billy carefully, wondering how long a love like that could last when one was gone from the earth.

Six years later, he still got that twinkle in his eye when he talked about her.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

"What did he _say_ to her? Would she really be this broken up over a six week relationship?"

Dad was growing angry. I felt the need to tell him that I'd be okay, but my mouth was dryer than a desert and my brain was barely functioning as I stared out the window.

I'd watched the sun rise and set, but I couldn't remember how many times.

All I could do was replay the moment on the porch in my head.

"He didn't just break up with her." Bella. They were in the hallway again, talking about me as if I couldn't hear.

"Kim said he cut off all contact. He walked away from their friendship like it meant nothing. Like _Nori_ meant nothing."

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

There comes a time when the raw pain of a breakup becomes a numbing sensation, only flaring up when memories are triggered. It becomes easier to function, easier to breathe on a daily basis.

For Bella, this moment came when Jacob took her under his wing and became her sunshine in the dark abyss that her life had become. She managed to wake up from her zombie-like demeanor and live until Edward came back.

It only took several months to get there.

I didn't want to rely on someone else to keep me going. I didn't want to be _that girl_ who used people and became an adrenaline junky in an effort to stay distracted.

I didn't want to drag everyone around me down as I fell further into the same abyss that had sucked my sister in just a little under a year prior.

When Bella fell into her emotional stupor, Dad had threatened to send her to live with Mom and Phil in Florida. But Bella had been determined to stay, on the off-chance that Edward returned and their love could be reborn.

I refused to sit around and wait for someone who had abandoned me.

Like a daydream, there comes a time when you must wake up and face reality. And when that time came for me, I knew I'd have to make a crucial decision.

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Three days after Embry left, I found myself standing on front of Emily's. The sight of her flower boxes and the front porch that I'd spent so much time on and had my first heart-to-heart with Jacob, as well as the pathway to the beach where I'd had so many more deep moments with the fellow pack members, brought tears to my eyes that I quickly blinked away.

It was time. I had to do this.

The battle would occur in the morning, and as I stepped up onto the porch, I knew that my sister was running through the forest, leaving her scent behind while Edward followed. They'd spend the night on the mountain with Jacob and Seth, and then the battle would begin and end within one afternoon.

By the time Bella reached the mountain, I'd be gone.

I opened the heavy front door without knocking, as I had done for months, and found the entire pack milling around the living room with their imprints, enjoying their final hours before Sam would call them all out to prepare.

In the far corner, Embry sat in an overstuffed lounge chair with a petite woman perched on the arm. He was grinning up at her, his face alight with happiness as she chattered on about something. From the similarities in her features and Jacob's, I knew that this had to be Rebecca. Embry's imprint.

I swallowed down the lump in my throat and faced the room.

"Nori!"

Emily's arms wrapped around me, embracing me tightly before she leaned back to give me a smile. Her eyes were conflicted, though her intent was pure. She was worried to death about all of the wolves, especially her Sam.

"I thought you would be on the way to the camp," she murmured, though every other wolf could obviously hear.

I shook my head and forced an ironic smile onto my face. "I-I, uh, won't be going to the camp," I admitted. Glancing around the room, I saw that all eyes had turned to focus on me at my words. "I'm leaving Washington."

A deafening silence filled the cramped room, almost to the point where a dropped pin could be heard. Eyes darted between me and Embry, obviously putting puzzle pieces together, before Seth finally spoke up.

"Because of _him_?"

Quil smacked the back of the younger wolf's head and muttered something under his breath. Leah rolled her eyes and stalked out of the room, but not before sending me a scoff in disgust. I flinched and bit my lip, unsure of how to explain the situation to everyone so that they could understand.

"Nori, honey. That's really not necessary." Emily's eyes glanced towards Embry, who had averted his gaze to the ground and clenched his fists. _Rebecca_ was watching the exchange in confusion. Obviously, she had no idea about our history or who I was, for that matter.

I nodded to Emily and swallowed again in an attempt to keep my voice from cracking. "It's more than just what happened this week," I hinted, avoiding looking at Embry. "I just need time away to sort myself out. I'm afraid of what's ahead, and I don't want to cause any problems in the pack."

Many mouths opened to protest, but I put a hand up to stop them. "I _know_ you guys. You'd feel torn between me and your brother. I'm not cutting any of you off," I said, slyly glancing at Embry as he grimaced at my choice of words. "I'll be back to visit." My words were spoken halfheartedly, though, because I knew it would be a long time before I was ready to face them all again.

Emily sniffled as Kim jumped up to hug me tightly, whispering a soft, "Please don't do this," in my ear. I could feel the tears beginning to build, and as I blinked, a few spilled over onto my cheeks.

"I have to," I whispered in return before leaning back and taking in her tired expression. The cancer was taking a toll on her. "But promise me you'll keep in touch." Hugging her again, I murmured, "You're one of my best friends. Don't forget that."

Kim nodded and wiped her eyes as Jared came up, offering an awkward one-armed hug before gathering his imprint in his arms. The boys jumped to their feet, taking turns in hugs and making me promise to video chat them as often as possible. Quil reminded me that I'd need to visit so Claire wouldn't forget my face, and Paul offered a halfhearted smirk and an attempt at a compliment. "Shit, I guess this means I won't be able to stare at your fine ass every time you come over." I smacked his shoulder before hugging him fiercely.

When it came to Embry and Rebecca, I offered a semi-wave, which Rebecca returned with a small smile and Embry ignored. I'd tried.

Looking around the room, I realized that the one person I'd wanted to say goodbye to the most wasn't present. Noticing my glance, Kim grabbed my hand. "He already left to meet with Bella and the Cullen."

I hung my head, wishing I'd come sooner instead of choosing to do so after I'd packed my belongings. When I'd finally rolled out of bed that morning, I'd gone straight to my father to inform him of my plans. I'd decided that staying with Mom for awhile would give me the chance to clear my head and refocus on my life. I had so many things I wanted to accomplish, and yet I was stuck on boys and the supernatural while in Forks.

I needed a break away; I needed a dose of reality. I needed everyone to understand and let me go, because if I chose to stay, I'd slowly wither away and become a zombie like my sister had done so many months ago.

I was so _tired_. I was _tired_ of constantly being torn, of fighting invisible battles, and of hiding away. I'd left a year before with the intentions of making something of myself — something I couldn't do in the small, hole-in-the-wall town. This time, I'd be successful with it.

With one last round of hugs and tearful goodbyes, I'd crossed my heart with promises to call and video chat as often as possible, so that no one would even have the chance to meet me.

And then, with every ounce of willpower I had in me, I headed straight towards my future.


	44. Final Note (EXPLANATION)

**PLEASE READ THIS. I HATE AUTHOR'S NOTES TOO, BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT.**

So, guys. I know many of you are wondering " _WTF? Why would she end it like this?!"_

Truth be told, it actually wasn't my intention to go in this direction with this story when I first started it. Months ago, I mapped out exactly where I wanted this story to go, which is why I was able to add original book events in order and continue with the timeline. I had so many ideas involving Nori and Jacob during the healing process after his injuries in Eclipse, as well as with Embry, his imprinting, the love that they still share, and her relationship with her sister after Bella is turned.

And then, a different idea came to mind.

I knew that Nori would not be able to get over Embry easily (I mean, he was literally the biggest part of her life growing up, and now he'd completely cut her off.) How could she stand seeing him or still consider being a part of the pack with _that_ much drama going on? It was just unrealistic unless I made the story drag on for a _longggggggg_ time, which would just bore everyone.

Also, Jacob loves Bella up until Renesmee is born. While it's obvious that he will not be imprinting on the child, it still wouldn't make sense for him to suddenly choose Nori after spending so much energy on her sister, nor would it be okay for Nori to just up and latch onto him. She's too hung up on Embry and much stronger than that to just give in.

And Embry needed time to clear his thoughts and really realize what he's missing. While not much is known about Rebecca at this point, I have so many ideas on where that will go. Plenty of Embry/Nori moments and possible options for an ending where Nori/Embry end up together. I'm still torn on who should end up with who.

So to those who still ship Embry/Nori, never fear! Their future together is still possible at this point, because Rebecca is NOTHING like Nori.

Basically, so much needs to happen before this story ends, and it can't be done within the handful of months that Stephenie Meyer used. It would be too chaotic and unrealistic with these people's emotions and heartbreak and healing processes.

Therefore, I have decided to skip forward.

The sequel is entitled _Solstice_ and will be rated M, because I kind of want to add a little smut and be more graphic in the violence scenes than Meyer was. Plus, Paul will make his usual debuts with his foul mouth.

I have a few weeks before school begins, so updates will be pretty quick (fingers crossed), and I hope you all will read and enjoy the sequel. It will fast forward three years, with a nineteen-year-old Nori returning to Washington to be by her father's side after Charlie is injured in an accident. What will happen when she learns of her sister's transformation, the war that nearly broke out after the child was born, finds that the Volturi is still keeping an eye on the wolves, and has to face those who aren't ready to forgive her for running away?

More characters will be added, adult problems will occur, and more imprints will take place. Gosh, I just have so many ideas for this right now. Who knows what will happen!

It'll be a new experience, and this time, the ideas will be all mine. :D I'm so excited to begin this project and I hope you guys will enjoy it as much as I'll enjoy writing it!

Love to you all,

xeatursoulx


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